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Chris Ryall is an industry insider with strong, outspoken opinions that readers enjoy, whether they agree, or take issue, with his viewpoint. Chris actually writes two columns, The Ryall Report, a general ‘whatever’s on his mind’ column which is often filed from exotic travel locations, and The Spa Scene, about (surprise) spas - which is an absolute must for any spa enthusiast or anyone with spa loving clients. SPA SURPRISESFish, sand, beer and orange peels
10 JAN 2011: In 2010 my body was caressed, stretched, scrubbed, poured with hot massage oil and even nibbled on - and no I’m not talking about all the things my wife did to my body. This was part of my spa journey in 2010 as I visited many spas in Thailand, Tokyo, Cardiff, London (England), Germany, Florida, New Hampshire, Ontario and British Columbia.
CHERISHING THE MOMENTSExtinguishing the 2010 Flame
28 DEC 2010: Moments in time. As 2010 passes the torch to 2011 we all have moments that are joyous, tragic and heartfelt. The year 2010 had such happy moments as Sidney Crosby’s thrilling gold medal goal during the 2010 Winter Olympics and the release after many years of Myanmar pro-democracy activist Aung San Sun Kyi in November. But it also brought untold tragedy to many parts of the world in Haiti, China, Chile, Peru, Pakistan and Australia. My travels in 2010 were likewise a mix of pure joy, sadness and frustration.
CRYSTALLISINGSparkling Hill Resort Dazzles & Chills You
20 DEC 2010: Gazing into the crystal ball can be a time consuming process at Sparkling Hill Resort, a stunning 152 room resort perched on a ridge overlooking Lake Okanagan in Vernon, British Columbia. There are 265 crystal balls at this $122 million dollar resort that opened in May 2010. Sparkling Hill Resort is where European design and elegance meets Okanagan Valley charm and beauty.
SEEKING SUNSHINESomething for everyone in Arizona
16 DEC 2010: The Arizona Office of Tourism and six tourism partners recently flew into Toronto on a dreary and rainy night to spread some sunshine and highlight a number of fun and adventurous activities not requiring a shovel or an umbrella.
WISHESFor the Travel Industry
14 Dec 2010: The year 2010 won’t go down as a banner year in the travel industry but it marked a turning point with business and profits moving upward. Travel agencies survived and some thrived in 2010 despite the economic malaise and continued presence of OTAs.
THE DISABLED TRAVELLERAn Issue of Accessibility
30 NOV 2010: As we enter the holiday season many Canadians are contacting their travel agents and booking their holiday travel getaways to sun-drenched Caribbean destinations or to snow-laden destinations like Whistler. What about travellers with a disability? Unfortunately the choices disabled travellers have for a holiday are more limiting.
SPOILED AGENTSReality or Fiction
24 NOV 2010: Two news items came across my desk which gave divergent views of the financial and material benefits of being a travel agent. One was a press release from the American Society of Travel Agents (ASTA) highlighting the results of its 2009 Labour and Compensation Report. On the other end of the spectrum was news from the Canadian owners of Spoiled Agent celebrating their first year of operation and how they assist agents in taking advantage of the many travel perks.
SOOTHING SAXONY SPASWhere “Bad” Means Good Health
11 NOV 2010: The state of Saxony in southeast Germany is well known as a bastion of culture over the centuries with Johann Sebastian Bach, Richard Wagner and other music icons living here. More recently Hollywood has visited this region of 1,000 castles, stunning vistas, and Baroque style architecture. Quentin Tarantino filmed parts of his 2009 film “Inglourious Basterds” here, and Kate Winslet and Ralph Fiennes starred in “The Reader”.
DOWNHILL AND TAX FILLEDCanada’s Tourism Fortunes
02 NOV 2010: O Canada! The True North strong but definitely not free – at least not tax free for residents and foreign travellers. Too much tax a turn-off? You bet. Canada needs to get its act together according to the National Travel and Tourism Coalition (NTTC) or risk slipping even further as a destination of choice for travellers.
COMPASSION AND PROCEDURETaking a balanced approach
19 OCT 2010: Death and flying. I’m not referring to tragic plane crashes which thankfully are very few and far between. An airline, whether it is fair or not, plays a key role in expediting the process in getting someone home during an emergency family situation such as a death of a family member. This past week I lost my mother unexpectedly and experienced firsthand how an airline handled the situation.
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