travel_insider_december_2018

Volume 13 – Issue 12 | December 2018 THE TRAVEL INSIDER Serving Travel Agents Exclusively Since 1974 A MESSAGE FROM SCOTT WISEMAN President, Travel Impressions Dear Travel Partners, Just like that, it’s the end of another year. With so many exciting things coming up the pike in 2019— not least of which are the updates that were announced at last month’s 23 annual Best of the Best agent appreciation celebration rd at Breathless Riviera Cancun!—we’re counting down to it, as you can see from our corporate promotion. But while it’s still 2018, we want to make sure we give this last month a big last hurrah. Because we put EducaTIon First, we End squeezed in just one more #WeekendLearning Series for the of year, #TheThingAboutCouples. This locally owned and operated brand’s particular style of intimate barefoot luxury and destination authenticity is distinctively unique and not often in the spotlight, so it’s really our pleasure to put it there. Year Speaking of #WeekendLearning, we spent a lot of time in Puerto Rico on our Facebook page this year, and recap it all with an insert on the island this month that you can use as a highlight reel for your customers. Same with popular favorite Dominican Republic’s Punta Cana and Puerto Plata, for a little extra 101 before “winter break.” Countdown We’re also bringing your attention to brands like Solmar Hotels & Resorts and The Crane, plus villas and group values at Bahia Principe Hotels & Resorts. As you can see, we’re working hard all through the holidays to Give them more than just a new year to count down make sure that your travelers have options they can look forward to after the season has passed. But in the meantime, I want to to with some of our best exclusive deals for 2019 wish you all a safe and happy rest of the year with your friends travel! Rate reductions you won’t find outside of TI and family, and a prosperous, healthy new one. and select ALG brands are on the table, I look forward to kicking off yet another year of extraordinary and trust us—your customers won’t partnership with you. Thank you for all the support you’ve shown want to leave them there. us in 2018. Booking Window: 12/6/18 – 12/31/18 Warmly, Travel Window: 1/1/19 – 6/30/19 Scott Wiseman Blackout, weekend, holiday, and peak season surcharges apply. #THETHINGABOUTCOUPLES The main thing about Couples is that there isn’t just one single thing you need to know about this Jamaican luxury resort brand—there’s an entire #WeekendLearning Series’ worth! Tune in every Saturday and Sunday this month for many, many things about Couples Resorts, from stunning renovations to exciting new categories and even an unlimited spa package. Travel Impressions … putting your EducaTIon First.

SUPPLIER OF THE MONTH Whether renewed commitments to self-care at Zoëtry and your guests will exclusively receive an extra $100 Wellness & Spa Resorts, time together at Secrets Resorts in resort coupons for a total of $500 for the Preferred Club & Spas, or finally accomplishing those squad goals at or $300 for all other room categories! Plus, combine with Receive 500 bonus Breathless Resorts & Spas, AMResorts has the brand to reduced rates: LoyalTI First points for help your customers meet those last-chance resolutions—or • Book by 1/2/19 for travel now through 3/30/19 to take every FIT AMResorts get a head start on 2019’s. booking you make advantage of the Vacations Half Off promotion ® ® Book one of these Endless Privileges or Unlimited-Luxury • Or, book by 1/9/19 for an early booking bonus on travel 12/1/18 – 12/31/18! properties from 12/1/18 to 12/31/18 for travel through 8/17/19, 3/31/19 – 8/17/19 Terms, conditions, and restrictions apply; visit www.travimp.com/SupplieroftheMonth for details. Agents must be registered with LoyalTI First travel agent rewards program at time of booking to earn points. LoyalTI First is not valid for group bookings. SPA SPECIALS IN LOS CABOS THE CRANE RESORT Grand Solmar Land's End Resort & Spa Extended by request! Playa Grande Resort The only thing that can make a vacation in If you’re looking for a pink-sand beach and Caribbean sunshine, stop. & Grand Spa Los Cabos even more relaxing is adding a spa You’ve found it at The Crane Resort. One of the best beaches on the day to it. And that’s exactly what Playa Grande island for swimming, it’s listed as a top ten by Lifestyles of the Rich & Resort & Grand Spa and Grand Solmar Land’s Famous, a top 25 “Sexiest Beaches in the World” by The Travel Channel, End Resort & Spa are offering: a $150 spa credit and number 23 of a collection of 100 of the best beaches according for two ($75 per person) toward any massage to CNN. of 80 minutes or longer for new bookings of 3 or more nights! Literally on top of that: sprawling, luxury oceanfront accommodation, award-winning dining, and service excellence that has made this the Extended for one last chance! oldest continuously operating hotel in the Caribbean. Booking Window: Now – 12/31/18 Other amenities your clients will look forward to: Travel Window: Now – 8/18/19 • The adults-only Historic Pool, cascading along the edge of a cliff for panoramic ocean views • Local art exhibits and events at the 1,300-square-foot Village Gallery • Body treatments incorporating soothing ingredients such as monoi oil, frangipani, and warm lava shells at Serenity Spa travelimpressions.com | Reservations 800.284.0044

PUNTA CANA PERFECTION Bávaro Beach Caribbean Sea Cortecito Beach Cabeza Bávaro de Toro Lagoon Palo Bonito An all-inclusive capital. That’s what you’ll find in Punta Cana, a destination AT L ANTIC OCEAN Mar Tunis that’s fast grown to be one of the leading ones in the Caribbean. Land in Punta Cana Puerto International the most well-connected airport in the Caribbean and Central America, Airport Plata Punta and arrive to a vacation straight out of Instagram. Cana Punta Cana La Unión 0 mile 3 Pantanal Beach Discover Punta Cana’s Coconut Coast: International Airport Escocesa 0 km 3 Uvero Alto | Macao | Bávaro | La Romana | Cap Cana Marina Bay Cap Cana Samaná El Catey Cape Samana Juanillo International Airport BE AMAZED Samana Bay Cap Cana Village Punta Cana • 11 Blue Flag-certified beaches Santo Las Américas • 10 golf courses, many designed by the world’s best International Domingo Airport Punta Cana • Adventure courses with ziplines and caves, Beach like Scape Park and Anamuya Zipline La Romana 101 Cap Bahia San Pedro La Romana- • The luxurious marina Cap Cana Bayahibe Cana de Ocoa de Macoris Airport 3 La Romana Boca de Chavón • Basílica Nuestra Señora de la Altagracia, Bayahibe Minitas National the country’s top pilgrimage site Catalina Beach Park of Island the East • Lively nightlife, including a cave-turned-disco and Coco Bongo Cape Beato Caribbean Sea • The only Six Senses Spa in the Caribbean 0 miles 40 0 miles 5 0 km 5 • The historical home of Juan Ponce de León 0 km 40 Caribbean Sea Saona • Off-road jungle and beach trails for buggies and all-terrain vehicles Island La Romana Choose from over 70 outstanding adults-only and family-friendly brands spread across nearly all budget ranges and 30 miles of spectacular beaches: Zoëtry Wellness & Spa Resorts | Dreams Resorts & Spas | Hideaway at Royalton | Nickelodeon Hotels & Resorts Paradisus by Meliã | RIU Hotels & Resorts | Secrets Resorts & Spas | Now Resorts & Spas TRS Hotels, by Palladium | Barceló Hotels & Resorts | Breathless Resorts & Spas | Iberostar Hotels & Resorts Luxury Bahia Principe and Grand Bahia Principe Hotels & Resorts | Meliã Hotels International | Majestic Resorts Grand Palladium Hotels & Resorts | Ocean by H10 Hotels | Sunscape Resorts & Spas | Westin Hotels & Resorts | Royalton Luxury Resorts 3 All-Inclusive Nights from $370 Per Person at Riu Naiboa in a Standard Room Advertised rate is valid for travel 1/21/19 – 3/31/19 and varies by departure date. Booking Window: Now – 4/30/19 | Travel Window: 12/24/18 – 4/30/19 All-inclusive package price is per person and includes: Roundtrip hotel transfers | 3-night hotel accommodations | Hotel tax and service charges | All meals, drinks, and snacks Non-motorized water sports | Daily activities | Nightly entertainment and much more! Images courtesy of Dominican Republic Ministry of Tourism. travelimpressions.com | Reservations 800.284.0044

ALL THAT GLITTERS IS … SILVER Puerto A TLANTIC OCEAN It’s easy to forget gold when plata takes the headline at the birthplace of tourism in the Plata Playa Dominican Republic. However, it wasn’t the metal that inspired Christopher Columbus AT L ANTIC OCEAN Dorada Playa Cape Cabarete Sosua Francés Viejo to call this coast Puerto Plata: it was the silver lining of the clouds over Mount Isabel de Playa Grande Torres and the clear blue sea. … You’ll understand when you see it for yourself. Puerto International Escocesa Las Cape La Unión Plata Airport Bay Terrenas Samana Nagua La Unión HAITI Samana The Silver Port: International PUERTO PLATA Samana Bay Airport Escocesa Puerto Plata | Sosua | Samana Bay Samaná El Catey Cape Samana 0 miles 25 International Airport 0 km 25 Samana Bay DISCOVER ITS TREASURES • Bird’s-eye views from the only cable car in the Caribbean Santo Las Américas International Domingo Airport Punta Cana • The Cordillera Septentrional mountain range Beach • Windsurfing, kiteboarding, and more at Cabarete La Romana • The golden sands of Playa Dorada Bahia Cap de Ocoa Cana • All 27 Charcos (waterfalls) of Damajagua Cape Beato • Snorkeling venues like Cayo Arena • The only full-service marina on Hispaniola’s North Coast, Ocean World Cape Beato Caribbean Sea • Authentic experiences and community tourism, such as visits to 0 miles 40 family-owned plantations 0 km 40 The North Coast’s best hotels and resorts are available through Travel Impressions: Hotel Casa Colonial Beach & Spa Boutique | Emotions Playa Dorada by Hodelpa | Iberostar Costa Dorada, Premium All-Inclusive Presidential Suites by Lifestyle | Sunscape Puerto Plata Dominican Republic Unlimited-Fun | Grand Bahia Principe San Juan All-Inclusive ® Viva Wyndham V Samana All-Inclusive | Viva Wyndham Tangerine All-Inclusive Looking for something different in Dominican Republic? It has it all! Don’t forget to visit The Villa Experience for options on this beautiful island! Five locations | 101 villas 3 All-Inclusive Nights from $318 Per Person at Sunscape Puerto Plata Dominican Republic in a Deluxe Garden View Room Advertised rate is valid for travel 3/15/19 – 3/18/19 and varies by departure date. Last chance for Vacations Half Off promotion! Booking Window: Now – 1/2/19 | Travel Window: 12/23/18 – 3/30/19 Unlimited-Fun package price is per person and includes: ® Roundtrip hotel transfers | 3-night hotel accommodations | Hotel tax and service charges | Endless meals, snacks, and domestic and international beverages Non-motorized water sports | Daily activities | Live entertainment three nights per week and much more! Images courtesy of Dominican Republic Ministry of Tourism. travelimpressions.com | Reservations 800.284.0044

AN ENCHANTING HOLIDAY Its culture. Its natural attractions. Its beaches. Its infectious music, delectable gastronomy, and its magic, never more apparent than during this special time of year. Puerto Rico enjoys one of the longest winter holiday seasons in the world, and it’s not too late to make sure your clients do, too. With no passport required to travel for U.S. citizens and celebrations planned through January, there’s no time like now to make dreams of a White(-Sand) Christmas come true. Here’s how to get into the spirit on the island: • Attend a misa de aguinaldo at a church to hear a folk genre of holiday music • Listen to an aguinaldo performance by parrandas, local carolers • Have a traditional Nochebuena Christmas Eve dinner, complete with lechón (roast pork), pasteles, rice and beans, and tembleque coconut custard for dessert • Drink coquito, a coconut version of eggnog • Catch a live reenactment of the nativity scene at a Rooster’s Mass at midnight • Leave grass in a shoebox under your bed for the Three Kings’ camels the night before Three Kings Day • Participate in the San Juan Three Kings Day celebrations • Visit the governor’s mansion with the kids so that they may receive gifts • Honk your horns, watch the fireworks, and join in the noise of the public New Year’s Eve festivities • Usher out the “Old Year” by eating 12 grapes after midnight, helping to sprinkle sugar on doorsteps, and with other fun traditions • Watch the New Year’s midnight fireworks show at the Puerto Rico Convention Center Add these events to that holiday itinerary: • Feria Hecho en Puerto Rico The annual “Made in Puerto Rico Fair” for creative and unique gifts like hand-carved wooden santos and vejigante masks. • La Mañanitas at Ponce Cathedral A religious procession led by mariachis, followed by breakfast and a weekend of parades and rides. • Hatillo Masks Festival A folkloric celebration and parade honoring the story of King Herod. • La Feria The Park A carnival with rides, shows, games, holiday lights, and characters. • San Sebastian Festival An annual fund-raising celebration with live music, parades, dancing, plus food, drinks, and crafts for sale. travelimpressions.com | Reservations 800.284.0044

ALL-YEAR CHEER Come for its year-round warmth—both found in the island’s climate and its people. Stay for its culture and authenticity. For the new year, challenge your customers to add these experiences to their bucket lists: • See how many of the 300 beaches on the 272 miles of Puerto Rican coastline they can visit in a week • Hike El Yunque National Forest from El Portal Visitor Center to the La Mina waterfall, Mount Britton, and the high-altitude dwarf forest • Try to find the ancient petroglyphs of the indigenous Taino people, hidden in the El Yunque rainforest • Kayak all three bioluminescent bays—there are only six in the world! • Tour the world’s largest rum distillery at Casa Bacardi ® • Peek through the world’s largest radio telescope in the Arecibo Observatory • Fly above the canopy on the world’s second-longest zipline at Toro Verde adventure park • Catch jibaro, bomba, plena, salsa, and reggaeton music, all during one stay • Try as much Cocina Criolla cuisine as possible, including Bacalao Guisado, sancocho, arroz con gandules, mofongo, pasteles de platano, yuca al ajillo, arepas, jibaritos, rellenos de papa, flan de coco, and more • Visit the fort in Old San Juan and the raised cemetery by the water The island is open, easy to get to, and affordable! Rates Start at $616 Per Person for 3 Nights at San Juan Marriott Resort & Stellaris Casino in a City View Room Advertised rate is valid for travel 1/6/19 – 4/27/19 and varies by departure date. Booking & Travel Window: Now – 12/19/19 Per person package price includes: Roundtrip hotel transfers | 3-night hotel accommodations | Hotel tax travelimpressions.com | Reservations 800.284.0044

HOT SPOTS & HIGHLIGHTS ALOHILANI RESORT WAIKIKI BEACH – OAHU, HAWAII UNICO 20˚87˚ HOTEL RIVIERA MAYA – RIVIERA MAYA, MEXICO There’s no divide between the best features of Waikiki Beach at this resort, where indoor Unlimited spa treatments. Included tours and excursions. Fee-free dining at every and outdoor luxury merge within view of Diamond Head and the ocean. Completely outstanding on-site restaurant. Live music performed by local artists. Oversized all- transformed after a $115 million renovation, the amenities are top of the line. For suite accommodations, the lowest category of which is a swim-up. No wonder it’s hard instance, a 280,000-gallon oceanarium, pool deck with a saltwater infinity pool, and for guests to pick their favorite #MyUNICOExperience moment! Your vacation envy- private cabanas. inducing customers will find this resort right up their alleys … especially if you close them LAST CHANCE! Receive reduced rates and a $50 resort credit for bookings on a category listed below! made and traveled by 12/21/18. Terms, conditions, and restrictions apply; call *BONUS COMMISSION ALERT* Receive a 5% bonus commission for bookings for details. for Estancia Suite Tropical View and Estancia One-Bedroom and Two-Bedroom Suite categories made by 12/31/18 for travel through 12/20/19. HOTEL BRUNELLESCHI – FLORENCE, ITALY SINA BERNINI BRISTOL – ROME, ITALY For art and history lovers, this hotel overlooking Brunelleschi’s Cathedral and near the Even if your clients don’t book the legendary Tritone Suite with its own private pool and Uffizi Gallery is the optimal choice for a culture-rich trip to Florence. Not only does the panoramic outdoor space, there are still 112 elegant rooms and 15 tasteful suites to property have features from the Pagliazza tower and the medieval church of San Michele choose from. In fact, the hotel’s main terrace is one of the most beautiful in the city’s in Palchetto, but a private museum on premises brings the past right to your front door. center, its views rivalling only those from the Giuda ballerino! rooftop restaurant on site. Receive the 3 night free for bookings made by 2/29/20 for travel 3/1/19 – Tell them to see if they can spot the nearby Spanish Steps and Trevi Fountain from there! rd th 4/12/19, 7/28/19 – 8/31/19, 11/9/19 – 11/22/19, 11/24/19 – 11/30/19, 12/1/19 – Receive the 4 night free for bookings made and traveled now – 10/31/19. 12/25/19, or 1/10/20 – 2/29/20. SUNSCAPE DOMINICAN BEACH AND BAVARO BEACH PUNTA CANA – REFLECT RESORTS & SPAS – MEXICO PUNTA CANA, DOMINICAN REPUBLIC This new addition to the AMResorts line promises “vibrant vacations for the spirited Next-door neighbors double the fun—especially when the motto is, in fact, Unlimited- traveler.” If that sounds like any of your clients, there’s great news: unlike with past roll-outs ® Fun ! Both are set on El Cortecito Beach, just 25 minutes away from the airport. of a new brand, there’s already a range of destinations for them to choose from. Reflect Sunscape Dominican Beach is a good time in a low-key sense, where the environment Resorts & Spas are being elevated to AMResort standards as we speak on the Corridor is relaxing and the pool is quiet and calm. At Sunscape Bavaro Beach, the kids and teens of Los Cabos, Banderas Bay in Nuevo Vallarta, and right on Punta Cancun. However, clubs, theater, disco, and entertainment center keep the tempo lively. With total access they’re bookable now, so why wait? to either resort, “fun” is for the guest to define each day. travelimpressions.com | Reservations 800.284.0044

THE VILLA EXPERIENCE DON’T FORGET Ultimacy, Anguilla Cielos Azules, St. Martin My Way, St. Barts TO FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL MEDIA! @travelimpressions @travelimpressions Escape to the Caribbean With the cold weather creeping closer, make sure your clients’ only winter blues Social icon Square Only use blue and/or white. For more details check out our Brand Guidelines. are the warm waters of the Caribbean. Over 1,100 luxury home rentals to choose @travelimp from will have them hoping for a long wait till spring. Top destinations include: Anguilla – a tranquil paradise known for its coral reefs, 33 beaches, and easygoing luxury Barbados – “Little England,” where British tradition and Caribbean charm go hand in hand Dominican Republic – world-class in just about every way, from its beaches to its golf Jamaica – romantic and relaxed, with lush mountains and waterfalls to explore St. Barts – the French West Indies’ most stylish destination and a celebrity favorite St. Martin – French side or Dutch side, friendly hospitality is guaranteed Font: GeosansLight V - is Custom Designed 888.284.3786 by Travel Impressions and Villas of Distinction TheVillaExperience.net BAHIA PRINCIPE HOTELS & RESORTS by Travel Impressions and Villas of Distinction COMING SOON: #VAXFACTS Don’t know VAX? TI’s all-new Facebook series is about to change that! Book six or more rooms for three nights or longer for group values in Mexico, This January, we’ll be giving you Dominican Republic, and Jamaica. the #VAXFacts you need to make our • One guest stays FREE! new, improved booking experience • One comped room upgrade for every 10 paid rooms your best yet. From brand-new capabilities • Special welcome cocktail upon arrival to time-saving enhancements and troubleshooting • Private check-in tips, follow that hashtag on Facebook as we go over all the ways the award-winning VAX • Group coordinator assistance VacationAccess is making booking • 20% discount on spa services with TI easier than ever before. • 50% off green fees for guests of the Riviera Maya Stay tuned for details! and La Romana complexes Booking Window: Now – 12/22/19 | Travel Window: 12/23/18 – 12/22/19 Have YOU taken our VAX training sessions? Sign up now at www.travimp.com/Trisept to get ahead of the game! Complimentary guest policy is dependent on travel date. To receive group amenities, booking must have a minimum of six rooms or twelve adult guests for a minimum of three nights. Upgrade is to a Superior room category and is based on availability at time of check-in. Maximum of three upgrades per booking. Tours operated by Travel Impressions, Ltd. Rates are land only, per person, and based on double occupancy. Blackout, weekend, holiday, and peak season surcharges apply. For all Riviera Maya properties, the Riviera Maya Municipality of Solidaridad environmental levy of 20 Mexican pesos per room, per day is not included and will be collected at hotel check-out. Rates, information, and promotions are accurate at time of publication and are subject to changes, exceptions, cancellation charges, and restrictions. Rates are subject to change based on currency fluctuations. Not responsible for errors or omissions in the publication of this newsletter. Additional higher priced packages available. Valid for new bookings only. Travel Impressions materials (including, but not limited to, names, trademark, service marks, logos, marketing materials, etc.) shall not be used, reproduced, transmitted or distributed in any way, except with the express written consent of Travel Impressions. CST #2029006-20, IOWA #758, Washington UBI #602 425 801. KA24296-18_VK_12.4.18