Hotusa Enters Canadian Market

Hotel consortia Hotusa (www.hotusa.com) lent its de facto imprimatur to four Canadian hotels earlier this year, enrolling them in its ever-expanding ranks of associated properties.

Three of the hotels Hotusa inked deals with—the Chateau Laurier, Chateau Belleveue and The Manoir Lafayette—are owned by the Girard family, located in Quebec and accessible through a single web site: www.vieux-quebec.com. The fourth property is the Montreal Espace Confort Hotel (www.montrealespaceconfort.com). These are the first four Canadian hotels that Hotusa has added to the consortia.

"They approached us," says Maria Chatrand, an official for the Girard-owned hotels. "We are paying them a commission, and they're not involved in any way on a day-to-day basis. They're like a travel agent for us." Chatrand says that the Girard properties are hoping that the deal with Barcelona-headquartered Hotusa will lead to more European bookings.

Still, while the news offers only limited utility for U.S. agents who do not book with Hotusa, the company's choice of these four hotels serves as a lead that the properties are worth consideration next time you're sending someone to either Montreal or Quebec City.

Note: Don't confuse the Chateau Laurier in Quebec City with the Fairmont Chateau Laurier in Ottawa. Almost the same name, but different hotels.

 

In Other Canada News:

Good news from Alamo Rent A Car (www.alamo.com). The rental agency announced September 11 that travel agents will now earn CASH IN Club Points for car reservations they book with Canadian Alamo branches. CASH IN Club Points can be redeemed for gift cards from "major retailers." Enroll in the program at www.cashinclub.travel.

According to release from the company, "Expanding the CASH-IN Club to include Canadian rentals ensures that travel agents' customers will continue to receive the same high-value, hassle-free car rental experience in Canada they are used to receiving in the U.S."

Expect to continue to see campaigns advertising Atlantic Canada, as the Canadian government has renewed funding for the Atlantic Canada Tourism Partnership (ACTP) for an additional three-year period.

The ACTP is a partnership of tourism associations and government departments from around the country dedicated to promoting tourism.

The ACTP says that is seeks to accomplish this goal through marketing Atlantic Canada to both U.S. and international markets—using both media campaigns and trade programs.

The ACTP was founded about 12 years ago and so far has spent about $80 million in Canadian dollars.

Atlantic Canada encompasses New Foundland and Labrador, Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia, and New Brunswick.

In 2005, more than 743,000 Americans visited those four provinces.