Discover Where to Travel Next at the 2022 International Travel Show in NYC Oct 29-30

Experts discuss trends in travel and give their suggestions on where to travel next, such as a boat-bike trip from Bruges to Amsterdam, at the  International Travel Show at the Javits Center,  New York City, Oct. 29-30. © Karen Rubin/goingplacesfarandnear.com
 

Travelers of all ages and interests are invited to meet hundreds of exhibiting destinations, attend informative travel seminars, enjoy culinary and cultural presentations, and benefit from special show-only travel deals. Discover where you want to vacation next! 

NEW YORK, NY – “The Future of Travel” is the theme for the International Travel Show (ITS2022) in New York City. This event is the successor to the New York Times Travel Show, last held in 2020, and is currently the only major travel show of its kind. The International Travel Show is presented by Travel + Leisure GO and sponsored by Brazilian Tourist Board, MSC Cruises and I Love NY and takes place at the Javits Center from Friday, Oct. 28 to Sunday, Oct. 30, 2022. Friday is reserved exclusively for the travel industry and Saturday and Sunday are open to all travelers. 

ITS2022 is filled with lively and informative programming designed for consumers to explore the theme of “The Future of Travel” and discover great destinations to fulfill their travel needs. The show features an exhibition of hundreds of destinations and trips as well as cultural presentations, travel seminars, culinary presentations, travel deals and giveaways, and fun for families and friends of all ages and interests.  

Exhibitors from around the world will provide information about their travel products and destinations. Attendees can meet with exhibitors including Royal Caribbean Cruises, Bahamas Tourism, Wonderful Indonesia, KwaZulu-Natal Tourism, Visit Fort Lauderdale, Travel +Leisure GO, Celebrity Cruises, Palace Resorts, MSC Cruises, Brazilian Tourism, Ghana Tourism and many more. The exhibition also will feature “Spotlight On New York,” which includes a New York Pavilion featuring New York destinations and attractions, presented and sponsored by I Love New York in conjunction with NYC & Company and the New York State Tourism Industry Association.  

Among scheduled presentations are the Taste of the World Theatre presented by Doug Duda, host of the A&E International TV series The Well-Seasoned Traveler, with chefs from around the world cooking up culinary presentations, as well as two Cultural Stages on the show floor with exhibiting countries presenting authentic and exciting cultural performances from across the globe. 

The annual charity auction of the Caribbean Hotel & Tourism Association Education Foundation is sure to be a highlight, adding edge-of-one’s-seat excitement for attendees, with opportunity to bid on dozens of Caribbean hotel vacations with proceeds going to fund scholarships and training for Caribbean hospitality industry professionals. There will also be giveaways and travel deals from dozens of exhibiting companies. 

Multiple travel seminars will engage and inform consumers on the essentials of travel planning. Speakers will include travel experts Pauline Frommer, Patricia Schultz, Darley Newman, Nancy Barkley, Denella Ri’chard, Bob Guccione, Zita Keeley and representatives from leading travel companies. Seminars include: 

• Keynote Panel Sessions feature crystal ball-like advice on “How Top Travel Experts See Travel in 2023”. 
• The Cruise Track offers expert advice on everything from “How to Choose the Right Cruise” to “How to Experience the Hottest New Expedition Cruises.” 
• The Meet the Experts Track features recognized travel experts who really know travel covering “Exploring the World of Wellness Travel,” “Where to Honeymoon and Wed Around the World” and more. 
• The Traveling Better Track offers valuable insights on “How to Find the Best Vacation Ownership Home,” “What You Need to Know About Flying Today,” and more. 
• The Destinations Track will point to where to travel and how, including “Where to Go in the Caribbean,” “Where to Go Now in Europe” and “How to Discover the Middle East and Africa.” 
• The Resorts Track offers a peek at new hotels and resorts in such sessions as “What to Look for in a Luxury Hotel” and “How to Pick the Perfect All-Inclusive.” 

The Government Resources Center, sponsored by the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), will also be a must-visit for consumers, with a timesaving opportunity for all attendees to enroll in the TSA PreCheck Program just by attending the International Travel Show.  

Attendee Registration for consumers is now open at the International Travel Show website at https://www.nyinternationaltravelshow.com/public 

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4-Star Villa le Barone, Chianti, Italy, Features Wine-Tasting & Cooking Lessons

The charming 28-room hotel Villa le Barone is set amongst the timeless landscape of Chianti, and has been in the famous Della Robbia family since the 16th century.

Villa le Barone, the four-star luxury hotel in Panzano, Chianti, in the heart of Italy’s scenic region of Tuscany, offers guests the chance to enjoy a day of wine tasting and cooking lessons while vacationing in one of the most glorious and scenic regions of Tuscany.

What better place to enjoy a Chianti wine than in Italy’s own Chianti Region? Villa le Barone offers a memorable “Gastronomia Toscana” (Enjoy Wines and Tuscan Gastronomy) package which includes a welcome bottle of Prosecco and fresh flowers in the guestroom, an itinerary with or without a driver to explore the Chianti region, a large buffet breakfast, Tuscan dinner and a complimentary bottle of Chianti Classico or a free bottle of local grown extra virgin olive oil (agroqualità) as well as an option to take a local cooking class.

“When Villa le Barone was a farm at the beginning of the 20^th century, it produced Vin Santo, and the grapes were hung in what is now the Garden House,” explains Jacqueline Aloisi de Larderel, proprietor and descendent of the generation of family who have owned the historic hotel since the 1600s. “The traditional dessert wine possesses a beautiful amber color and touched with a lovely smell of dried fruit, apricot, honey and acacia flowers.”

“A good meal in Tuscany concludes with Vin Santo (Holy Wine) and Cantucci (sweet almond cookies) and is quite a treat,” adds Corso Aloisi de Larderel, co-proprietor of the 28-room historic villa. “Dinner under the chandeliers of our restaurant or on the terrace of our hotel is the right time to dip the cantucci into the Vin Santo in the Tuscan tradition.”

Set in the heart of Tuscany, between the historic cities of Siena and Florence, Chianti is noted for its wine, food, landscape, culture, and its inspiration for poets and painters, with its rolling hills of vineyards, olive trees, woods, farmhouses, and castles. Individual churches are surrounded by dark cypresses and impressive monuments throughout the quaint villages of the area.

From July 15- August 31, 2014 and October 1 – October 13, 2014, the Villa le Barone’s Gastronomy di Tuscany (Enjoy Wines and Tuscan Gastronomy package) ranges from €960 (approximately $US 1,305/$CA 1,340) for a classic room to €1160 (approximately $US 1,580/$CA 1,680) for a Historic Room or Junior Suite, for two people for three nights.

From September 1-30, 2014, prices range from €1000 (approximately $1,360) for a classic room, to €1210 (approximately $1,645) for a historic room or junior suite for two persons for three nights.

The cooking course is an additional €100 Euros (approximately $136) and includes two hours with a Tuscan cook, a souvenir apron and the meal that you have actually prepared to enjoy. Car and driver for a day trip through Chianti is an additional €380 (approximately $517).

Rich History

Villa Le Barone was built as a tower in the middle ages and was the seat of a Baronetcy, hence the name “Le Barone.” During the Renaissance, the tower was torn down and converted to a Villa, surrounded by its agricultural estate, where the renowned Della Robbia family spent summers.

After the World War I, Marchesa Maria Bianca Viviani Della Robbia managed Villa le Barone as a wine and olive oil estate. Maria Bianca was the granddaughter of François de Larderel, a French 18th century industrialist, who discovered and developed the use of geothermal energy in Tuscany.

Marie Bianca’s daughter, Duchess Franca Visconti, converted the Villa into a charming boutique hotel, keeping the refined and elegant atmosphere of a private house, while offering all the contemporary comforts and amenities.  Villa le Barone is now the property of Duchess Franca Visconti’s heirs, whom you will meet when you stay at Villa le Barone.

The charming 28-room hotel Villa le Barone is set amongst the timeless landscape of Chianti, and has been in the famous Della Robbia family since the 16^th century. The swimming pool, tennis court, fitness trail, fitness room and terraces are set amongst large rose gardens, with views over the surrounding countryside, olive groves and the vineyards of Chianti Classico. In the old winery, the restaurant serves traditional Tuscan food and of course, the world-renowned local Chianti wines.

For more information about the “Gastronomia Toscana” (Enjoy Wines and Tuscan Gastronomy package) or to simply learn more about the local wines in the area, to book a reservation, or to learn more about the variety of recreational activities one can enjoy at Villa le Barone, visit www.villalebarone.com.

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CellarPass Offers New Online Search for Tasting Room, Food and Wine Events, Reservation and Ticketing Service

You know “you have arrived” when you show up at a trendy winery or artisanal distillery tasting room and your name is listed on the plaque out front.

That’s the “cherry on top” of a great vacation, and it’s one of the fringe benefits of an innovative web-and app-based service called CellarPass, the first online tasting room and food and wine events search, reservation and ticketing service.

Visitors need never again be turned away or forced to wait to taste at the most in-demand wineries, breweries and distilleries. The CellarPass service allows users to book their own experiences when it suits them, right from a computer, tablet or Smartphone in advance or even on-the-go. CellarPass member destinations greet their reservation guests in their own special way, too: some offer a special bottling with a tasting flight, add chocolates to a tasting, or announce their visit on a plaque out front. CellarPass gives visitors an instant “in,” and they love it.

The best part – the service is free to travelers.

How CellarPass works: With just a few simple clicks or swipes of a finger, wine, beer and spirits lovers can search the venues they want to visit, consult actual visitor reviews, reserve tasting and tour times, map locations, and even navigate directly to the destination with turn-by-turn directions delivered right to their devices. More of a last minute planner? With CellarPass’ “Nearby” function, iPhone and iPad users can view offerings within a specified distance from their exact location and book on the go.

With the recent launch of CellarPass’ ticket service, users also have access to a menu of special tastings, pairing dinners and other exclusive wine country events – all in one place.

CellarPass helps make a dream food and wine vacation hassle-free. Check it out at www.cellarpass.com.

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Savory Affair Introduces Behind-the-Scenes Food-Wine Tours of Napa Valley and Tuscany

The Savory Affair, a New England-based boutique event planning and design firm, is offering two extraordinary food and wine travel experiences for 2014. Combining the service of The Savory Affair with the vineyard connections and wine knowledge of sister-company, The Savory Grape, each trip offers a personalized, behind-the-scenes look at the epicurean worlds of Napa Valley, California and the Tuscany region of Italy.

The Napa Valley trip is August 1 – 6, 2014, a perfect time of year to escape the heat of the East Coast and enjoy the comfortable temperatures of Northern California. In order to provide a more tailored, individualized experience, this trip will host only 10 guests and be personally guided by The Savory Affair and The Savory Grape proprietor, Jessica Granatiero.

“This will be an amazing opportunity to go behind the scenes to meet the families and vintners, while learning more about the intricate process of winemaking,” stated Granatiero.   “From the accommodations to the daily itineraries, we have designed a first-class experience and will show you Napa in a way few experience.”

Accommodations will be provided by Andaz, a luxury boutique hotel in downtown Napa and walking distance to many great shopping and restaurants.

The Napa trip includes:

• 5 night, 6-day stay in the Andaz Napa
• Breakfast daily in the Andaz Farmer’s Table Restaurant
• Lunch daily, except travel days
• 2 organized group dinners-welcome dinner at Carpe Diem and closing dinner at the home of Rob & Kat MacDonald
• Hands-on, interactive pesto-making demonstration and class with wine, at the Culinary Institute of America
• Insider visits, tours and tastings at six different vineyards
• Transport to and from all vineyard activities and dinner

Then in October, Granatiero is partnering with Chef Kaitlyn Roberts, founder & owner of Easy Entertaining Inc. for Savorying Italy tour of Tuscany that promises to be an insider’s guide to the best vineyards and dining in Italy.  Guests will experience an epicurean education with cooking classes and wine tours lead by Chef Roberts and Granatiero.

The six night, six-city tour will start on October 5, 2014, with guests arriving at the Villa Daniella Grossi, a restored 17th century luxury villa located in the hills of Lucca, on the morning of October 6. The trip includes an elaborate breakfast each morning prepared by Chef Roberts, followed by a tour and tasting at top Tuscan vineyard lead by Granatiero. Each afternoon, guests will return to Villa Daniella Grossito enjoy hands-on cooking and wine pairing lessons from Chef Roberts and Granatiero.  At night, guests will dine on five gourmet dinners, including three at the villa with custom wine pairings, two off-site in the city of Lucca and one in the beautiful city of Florence.

The Savory Affair has been organizing and hosting unique local, national and international travel experiences for two years.

To view a downloadable brochure for either trip, visit www.thesavoryaffair.com/vineyards.

To book, contact Ann Petronio, at Annie’s Escapes Custom Travel Planning at 401-270-4834.

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Sugartooth Tours Offers Special Valentine’s Day Programs in February Made Sweeter Still for Donation to Local Charity

What could be sweeter than spending the day with your Valentine and tasting a variety of New York City’s finest decadent treats? And how about giving back to a great cause? Do both this February with Sugartooth Tours’ Valentine’s Day tour. This annual seasonal tour features a plethora of tasty treats, as well as an equally sweet donation to House of the Roses, a local non-profit that offers homeless and at-risk children free weekly on-site dance workshops at partner outreach facilities, such as homeless shelters and community centers throughout New York City, as well as performance opportunities at outside locations. For each tour ticket sold in the month of February, $1 will be donated to the charity.

“We’re very excited to include a charity contribution with the Valentine’s Day Tour,” said Allyson Tolbert, co-founder of Sugartooth Tours. “February and Valentine’s Day is all about showing love, so this is the perfect opportunity to tie-in a charity aspect for House of the Roses, which makes a significant contribution to local youth. Also, myself and Sarah are both trained actresses and dancers, so this non-profit hits close to home.”

Featured on this year’s tour are six tastings, including chocolate truffles, hot chocolate, cupcakes, cookies and more. Also included is the option to add a wine/beer paring at the tour’s final destination to allow for more one-on-one time with a special someone.

The tour, which starts in the trendy Chelsea neighborhood, lasts approximately 2- 2 ½ hours and covers 1.5 miles of walking with stops along the way. Guests walk down the High Line, and end in the West Village. In addition to scrumptious sweets, guests will also learn culinary and cultural history at each stop, and a few tidbits and facts about Valentine’s Day and it’s history.

To keep it fresh, Sugartooth Tours has changed the route completely from last year’s Valentine’s Day tour to keep the selections, and the experience new. Last year’s tour featured the company’s Hell’s Kitchen route, and this year is an entirely new neighborhood!

“At Sugartooth Tours our goal is to create experiences that allow customers to come back for more than just one tour. We frequently change up our tours to feature new neighborhoods and desserts. This keeps the experience fresh and evolving,” said Sarah Rolleston, co-owner of Sugartooth Tours. “Plus, with New York being so large, there are always hidden gems that we discover when researching for our tours.”

This year’s Valentine’s Day tours are scheduled for February 8^th, 9^th, 13^th, 14^th, 15^th, and 16^th. Tours run at 5:30pm. Tickets are $50 without the pairing, or $70 with the pairing and can be purchased by visiting www.sugartoothtours.com.

Sugartooth Tours specializes in dessert tasting food tours in New York City. A perfect excursion for all ages, and for locals and visitors to the Big Apple alike! The company’s tours are small in size with no more than 16 people per group for an intimate experience. Sugartooth Tours are dedicated to appealing to the sweet tooth in everyone, providing high quality tastings, superior customer service, and friendly and informed licensed tour guides.

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Gift of Travel: Food & Wine Trails Offers ’12 Trips of Christmas’

Looking for the ultimate holiday gift for the food & wine lover who has everything? Food & Wine Trails, a 29 year-old culinary travel company based in Sonoma County, is offering 12 food and wine focused vacations as gift-giving ideas. Each of the “Twelve Trips of Christmas” include culinary activities or extra amenities, such as a free wine tour, cash to spend on culinary shore tours, a private car and driver shore excursion, or even a free hotel night.

“Culinary travel is more than just eating and drinking on vacation. It’s about immersing yourself in the culture, cuisine, and traditions of a particular region,” says Food & Wine Trails President Larry Martin, “Each experience is unique: you could take a private cooking class with a local chef, dine on food prepared by Michelin-starred chefs, have a guided tour and tasting at the region’s best wine estates…the possibilities are endless.”

Food & Wine Trails “Twelve Trips of Christmas” list features both cruise and land tours all over the world. “It doesn’t matter if you’re a novice or a sophisticated home chef or wine collector, we have a vacation that any food and wine lover would love.” promises Martin.

#1 Trip 12-Night New Zealand wine cruise hosted by three top Oregon wineries with airfare, complementary gratuities and a $100 shipboard credit.
#2 Trip 7-Night cruise on Portugal’s Douro River with a $400 shipboard credit.
#3 Trip 9-Night “Flavors of Italy” land tour with first class hotel accommodations.
#4 Trip 14-Night Trans-Atlantic “Golf, Wine & Food” theme cruise from London to Boston with $500 shore excursion credit .
#5 Trip 10-Night F&WT’s President’s cruise with winery host Rochioli Vineyards with up to $440 in free benefits.
#6 Trip 5-Night biking tour through Northern California wine country on custom titanium bikes.
#7 Trip 8-Night Southern Spain cruise with daily wine tastings and two free wine tours.
#8 Trip 6-Night land tour discovering the delicacies of the Spanish region of Andalusia that includes wine with meals and a hands-on cooking class.
#9 Trip 7-Night Bordeaux wine cruise hosted by a Napa Valley’s Conn Valley Vineyards with up to $308 in free benefits.
#10 Trip Travel package to 2014 Hawaii Food & Wine Festival with free hotel nights.
#11 Trip 11-Night South African Winelands tour with special visits to former homes of Desmond Tutu and Nelson Mandela.
#12 Trip 10-Night “Pearls of China” wine themed cruise with free private car and driver shore tour.

For more information about F&WT’s “Twelve Trips of Christmas,” call 800-367-5348 or visit http://www.foodandwinetrails.com. Please note some offers are time sensitive.

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Handpicked Adventures Tour Company Offers Artisan Cuisine and Culture Trip to Piedmont, Italy

Handpicked Adventures, a San Francisco, California-based, artisan food-focused travel company, is offering a one-of-a-kind trip to Piedmont, Italy, September 18 – 25, 2013. Anchored by the popular Bra Slow Food Cheese Festival, the Piemonte and the Bra Slow Food Cheese Festival trip promises an intimate immersion into the region’s unique culture via the food, drink and artisans that define it.

The agricultural tour offers travelers the rare opportunity to sample and taste the area’s wealth of foods while interacting with the farmers and artisans who lovingly produced them. Trip highlights include:

• Visiting with chocolatiers in their Torino-based salons – yes, there will be ample tastings;
• Tasting vast arrays of handcrafted cheeses at the festival, which brings together hundreds of Italian and foreign cheese producers;
• Lodging and dining on a working farm and vineyard in Sinio;
• Participating in a hands-on cooking class with a classically trained chef – in his own restaurant; and
• Sipping and savoring at exclusive meetings with winemakers.

Handpicked Adventures’ trip also includes a farm dinner at a local truffle ground, a visit to a snail farm in Cherasco, an Italian brewpub tasting – yes, there’s beer in those hills, too – and a daytrip to the base of the Italian Alps to visit a working dairy farm where the famous Castelmagno cheese is made (FYI: Castelmagno dates back to the 12^th century).

For Handpicked Adventures co-founder Heather England, a food-centric tour is the perfect way to learn about a new place. “So often people head to a new destination with an itinerary packed with landmarks and historic sites,” she says. “We approach travel a bit differently at Handpicked Adventures. We believe that the best way to experience a culture is to slow down, savor local foods and engage in worthy conversations.”

Her business partner, Terry Cosola-August agrees. “The history of a place really comes alive when you start talking with the people who have worked on or drawn from the land for generations. Getting up close and personal with regional foods and local cuisine is truly the best way to experience another culture.”

Cost is $2,500 U.S., double occupancy (excluding airfare), if deposit is received by July 31, 2013. After July 31, the cost is $2,750 U.S. (excluding airfare). Package includes all lodging, private motor coach transport, activities translated in English by a multilingual guide, seven breakfasts, festival entry, all group events listed above, plus one additional group dinner. All group dinners include wine and gratuity. The trip is limited to 12 participants. For more information, visit www.handpickedadventures.com.

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Sample Caribbean Cuisine, Win Prizes at ‘Taste of the Islands’ Festival, June 29 at Hyatt Regency, Miami

Experience Caribbean cuisine and culture at the Taste of the Islands festival, presented by Ask Me, Inc., taking place Saturday, June 29 from 6 – 9 pm at the Hyatt Regency, Miami. Gather information about your favorite Caribbean destinations, sample gourmet appetizers, desserts and signature cocktails, and listen to authentic Caribbean music. Participants at the festival have the opportunity to win prizes including a three-night all-inclusive stay at the Coconut Bay Beach Resort & Spa in St. Lucia.

Presented by the Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association (CHTA), Taste of the Islands is part of the Taste of the Caribbean competition between chefs and bartenders from the region with teams from Anguilla, Bahamas, Barbados, Bonaire, Curacao, Jamaica, Puerto Rico, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

The Taste of the Islands highlights the street foods that are common throughout the region. Each competing team is given a “protein mystery basket” with a large selection of ingredients in a common pantry. From these ingredients the teams create two savory dishes, one dessert item and one rum-based cocktail. The event is scored by the judges and counts for 20 percent of the team score in determining the medals for the “Caribbean Team of the Year” recognition.

During Taste of the Islands, consumers can vote in the “People’s Choice” awards to select their favorite culinary creations from participating teams. Consumers who vote in the “People’s Choice” awards will be entered into a drawing for the chance to win a three-night all-inclusive stay at the Coconut Bay Beach Resort & Spa in St. Lucia, provided by Ask Me, Inc. as well as a double magnum of Henkell Dry, courtesy of Henkell & Co.

In addition to the 10 competing teams, tourist boards from Anguilla, Bahamas, Barbados, Jamaica, Suriname, Trinidad & Tobago and the U.S. Virgin Islands will be exhibiting in the pavilion with vacation information about their respective countries. Event-goers will be treated to authentic Caribbean music that will be played throughout the festival. Rums of Puerto Rico will have a sampling bar for event-goers to try the different brands that comprise the Rums of Puerto Rico. Award-winning, nationally recognized Chef Allen Susser, who is also the author of The Great Mango Book, will serve as the Master of Ceremonies.

Additional hotel stays will be given away throughout the night courtesy of Media Blast.

Tickets for Taste of the Islands are US$30 per person and can be purchased via www.chtatasteofthecaribbean.com, email events@caribbeanhotelandtourism.com or call (305) 443-3040 ext. 110.

You can also participate in a series of seminars on June 29, 2 – 6 pm to hone your at-home culinary skills including:

Mango Session:Presented from 2 – 3 pm by Chef Susser who will provide insight on cooking with mango, one of the Caribbean’s top fruits, which he has used in developing a tropical cuisine that led to the created of new world cuisine more than 30 years ago.

Preparing Classical Cocktails At Home – A “Hands-On” Seminar: During this seminar, participants will learn the use of professional bartender tools and how to prepare the most famous classical cocktails from Mojitos and Brazilian Caipirinhas, to the Cosmopolitan and the WW I Sidecar. Presented by Trinidadian cocktail master and 2005 Caribbean Bartender of the Year, Raakesh Madoo, this seminar will be a “hands-on” so registrants should come ready to shake, stir and strain their own cocktail creations. The session is scheduled 3:15 – 4:15 pm on June 29.

Rums of Puerto Rico Seminar: During this seminar participants will become true rum connoisseurs as they learn about the different types of rum that comprise the Rums of Puerto Rico brand. Representatives from the Rums of Puerto Rico will provide an insider look into rum’s history, rum making process, varieties of rum including light, dark, flavored and gold, and cocktails that are made with rum. The session will be held from 4:30 – 5:30 pm on June 29.

Other programs include the Junior Chef of the Year (from 8 am – 12 pm), Pastry Chef of the Year (8 am – 12 pm), Bartender of the Year – Rum (10:30 am – 1 pm) and the Ice Carving competitions (4:30 – 5:30 pm) on June 29.

Tickets for Saturday’s combined morning and daytime program, including the seminars, are US$35 per person. Purchase tickets for all of Saturday’s events, including Taste of the Islands, for $65 per person.

Follow Facebook.com/CHTATasteoftheCaribbean and Twitter.com/CHTATasteCarib.

For more information, visit www.caribbeanhotelandtourism.com. Follow CHTA on Facebook Facebook.com/CaribbeanHotelandTourismAssociation and Twitter Twitter.com/CHTAFeeds.

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‘Taste of Caribbean’ Culinary Competition & Festival Set for Miami, June 26-30; Air, Hotel Deals Available

Caribbean culture will be on display at the annual Taste of the Caribbean where chefs and bartenders from the region take center stage to compete for the Caribbean’s top culinary honors. Presented by the Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association (CHTA) from June 26-30, the event will host a gathering of culinary enthusiasts and experts at the Hyatt Regency, Miami.

“The Caribbean is united in the promotion of the region’s indigenous flavours and products. From the world’s best spices to the best coffee, rums, beers and tropical fruits, our national cuisines are an important part of our destination marketing,” said Josef Forstmayr, chairman of CHTA and chairman of Taste of the Caribbean. “Our distinct cuisines are part of our national identities and Taste of the Caribbean showcases our region in a very powerful way,” Forstmayr added.

There are currently nine Caribbean culinary teams registered for the event including Anguilla, Bahamas, Barbados, Bonaire, Jamaica, Puerto Rico, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Each participating team represents a Caribbean country that has held individual competitions to select their national team, comprised of two senior chefs, one junior chef, one bartender, one pastry chef and one manager. The participating team members represent hotels, restaurants or educational institutions in the Caribbean which are members of CHTA.

The teams are vying for top honors including Caribbean Culinary Team of the Year, Caribbean Chef of the Year, Caribbean Pastry Chef of the Year, Caribbean Bartender of the Year and Caribbean Junior Chef of the Year.

This annual Caribbean food and beverage event is designed for culinary professionals to network, polish professional skills and cheer on colleagues in competition. Taste of the Caribbean also provides education through seminars, workshops, tastings and demonstrations, created to enhance performance, style and profitability in food and beverage operations.

This year’s program includes an enhanced “Taste of the Islands” festival for consumers on Saturday, June 29 from 6 – 9 pm featuring a pavilion of tourist boards where consumers can experience Caribbean culture through a variety of gourmet appetizers and desserts, sample signature cocktails, listen to authentic Caribbean music and gather information about exhibiting Caribbean countries. The Taste of the Islands highlights the street foods that are common throughout the region.

“Consumers participating in Taste of the Caribbean will be treated to a world-class experience as they sample the unique cuisines and beverages of our region,” said Richard J. Doumeng, president of CHTA. “The participating teams have worked hard to hone their skills and are culinary ambassadors for their countries as well as the Caribbean region,” Doumeng added.

Taste of the Caribbean also includes an International Caribbean Culinary Team Competition Lunch and Dinner which features a three-course meal prepared by the competing teams. Each team in the competition meals are given a “mystery basket” of ingredients (the provisions for the competition consisting of a meat, fish, poultry or game) which they must use to develop a three-course menu. The chefs have one hour to create and submit the menu and three hours to prepare and serve an appetizer, entrée and dessert for attendees at the luncheon or dinner.

Registration

Registration for Taste of the Caribbean is open and can be accessed via: http://www.caribbeanhotelandtourism.com/events-taste/event-taste-about.php. The full event fee for hoteliers, government entities and food and beverage professionals is US$175 per person (CHTA members) and US$225 for non-members. Students with proper ID are charged US$75 per person. Prices for the competition events are US$30 for Taste of the Islands and US$50 each for the Competition Lunch and Competition Dinner. CHTA is also offering two package options for the competition events: US$85 per person for the Competition Lunch and Competition Dinner or US$110 per person for the Competition Lunch, Competition Dinner and Taste of the Islands festival.

Trade Show

Taste of the Caribbean also features a unique trade show for event participants which provides a one-stop forum for gathering practical information, sampling, purchasing, strengthening supplier relationships and meeting new vendors.

Exhibitors will be able to promote their products and services to delegates by purchasing a tabletop display at Taste of the Caribbean. Tabletop display registration with one delegate is $750 plus $175 for each additional delegate.

Hotel and Airline Discounts

Registrants can take advantage of discounted hotel rates available at the Hyatt Regency, Miami starting at US$139 per night, plus tax and service charges, based on single or double occupancy. The group rate is available until June 3 and can be made via resweb.passkey.com

CHTA has partnered with American Airlines to provide event attendees with a 10% discount for travel to Miami between June 12 – July 3, 2013. Reservations can be made via aa.com or 1-800-433-1790 using promotional code 7263BX.

For more information about Taste of the Caribbean visit http://www.caribbeanhotelandtourism.com/events-taste/event-taste-about.php or contact CHTA at (305) 443-3040. Follow Facebook.com/CHTATasteoftheCaribbean and Twitter.com/CHTATasteCarib.

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Tenuta dell’Ornellaia Winery to Host 4th Annual FOOD & WINE Voyage Aboard Oceania’s Riviera

Tenuta dell’Ornellaia, one of Italy’s most lauded wineries, will be the winery host on FOOD & WINE Magazine’s fourth-annual Wine Voyage. This seven-day cruise will be on Oceania Cruises’ newest cruise ship Riviera, which leaves from Monte Carlo on October 11, 2013 and arrives into Civitavecchia, the port of Rome on October 18.

The Riviera is a mid-sized cruise ship specifically designed for the food and wine lover, with Executive Culinary Director Jacques Pepin overseeing seven no-extra-charge restaurants, the cruise industry’s first restaurant collaboration with Wine Spectator magazine and the first at-sea hands-on cooking classroom.

Onboard will be Leonardi Raspini, Ornellaia’s general manager, who along with FOOD & WINE’s long-time wine expert Anthony Giglio, will preside over a series of private events that include a vertical tasting of multiple Ornellaia vintages and a five course gourmet, wine-paired dinner.

As Ornellaia is one of Italy’s highest-rated and most expensive wines, the cruise affords a rare opportunity to cruise the French and Italian Riviera in luxury, while tasting multiple vintages back-to-back and mingling with fellow wine enthusiasts and top wine experts.

Ornellaia’s hospitality will also be extended when the ship visits Livorno, the port of call for Tuscany. Here, the estate normally closed to the public, will open for an optional and opulent private group luncheon and tour.

The Fourth FOOD & WINE Wine Voyage includes other opportunities for the food and wine lover to experience the culinary terroir of the regions they visit. From the French port of Marseille, an optional tour of Chateauneuf-du-Pape is offered, with a wine-paired luncheon cooked by a Michelin-starred chef and a private tasting Domaine de la Janasse, another highly rated winery. In Sorrento, the group has the option of visiting the Stabiae Villas, thought to be the home of the regions governor which, like Pompeii, was buried by Mt. Vesuvius in AD 79. Following a tour led by a local archeologist, the group drives up the volcano’s slopes for a private tasting and lunch at Azienda Sorrentino Winery, featuring varieties of grapes and wines not found anywhere else in the world.

Rates of the Fourth FOOD & WINE Wine Voyage begins at $2,624 per person double occupancy and includes Oceania Cruises’ free airfare* from 26 major US airports. All bookings are to be made through Food & Wine Trails, one of the nation’s oldest and largest wine-travel companies. Bookings made before March 31, 2013, will receive a complimentary $100 shipboard credit and prepaid gratuities.

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