TORONTO – Latin America’s top destinations and resorts recently arrived in Toronto to host a series of showcase sessions for group, meeting and incentive travel buyers.
Dubbed the Latin America Showcase and hosted by Platinum DMC Collection, the panel included explora Lodges, LATAM Airlines, Faus Incentives Argentina, GB Internacional Brazil, Turavion Chile, and Turista Internacional Panama. The showcase took place on June 14 in both downtown Toronto and Mississauga.
Here are a few highlights from the Mississauga session:
– Turista Internacional Panama can arrange a six-night ‘Authentic Panama’ package starting at US$1,215 that includes transfers, entrance fee to Miraflores, a visit with lunch to Embera Indian Village, Panama City and Canal tour, rum tasting, hotel accommodation and more. Also available is a six-night ‘Beaches + Culture’ package priced from $1,205.
– Groups can sign up for a six-night ‘Amazon Cruise’ in Rio de Janeiro, priced from US$2,180, net price, per person, double occupancy. Price is based on groups of 120 or more paying participants, and valid for low season 2016. Price includes a four-night cruise onboard the deluxe Grand Amazon Hotel-Ship, all-inclusive of meals, drinks, shore excursions, lectures and live entertainment, plus roundtrip private airport-pier transfers in Manaus, city tour, two-night five-star hotel accommodation in Rio de Janeiro, Rio city tour, all-you-can-eat BBQ dinner, and more.
– explora, which operates six luxury lodges in Chile, will soon open its newest property on July 1 in Peru’s Sacred Valley. All corporate programs include meeting rooms and A/V equipment, Internet access in common areas, three meals, coffee breaks, beverages, airport transfers and daily explorations that range from horseback riding to bicycling. Guests who wish to stay at more than one lodge during their visit can receive up to 15% off.
– While in Argentina, groups will have a wealth of attractions to discover, including Café Tortoni, an iconic café that opened in 1858 and frequented by the cultural elite, and the magnificent Colon Theatre, considered one of the best opera houses in the world. A day excursion to Colonia del Sacramento on the Uruguayan side of the Rio de la Plata is a popular choice among large groups. Other group options include polo clinics, wine tours in Mendoza and a zodiac tour that goes under Iguazu Falls.
– Chile, also known as the ‘Land of Contrasts,’ is easy to get to for groups, with direct flights with Air Canada from Toronto to Santiago (visas not required). With 340 days of sunshine each year, Chile is an outdoor enthusiast’s dream, featuring 2,900 volcanoes, ski centres, wine routes, deserts, hot springs and world renowned observatories. In fact, there are some places in land where rain has never been recorded! Don’t forget to suggest group excursions to Easter Island, accessible via a five-hour flight from Santiago.
– LATAM Airlines launched a new logo last month, plus new uniforms for flight crew bearing the official colours of indigo and coral. LATAM’s Boeing 767-300 flies from Toronto Pearson to New York with continuing service to São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro, or connecting to Lima, Peru or Santiago, Chile. Connections from various Canadian cities to its North American gateways are available in partnership with codeshare and interline partners WestJet, Air Canada, American Airlines and Alaska Airlines.
