Europe Bound

Contiki Holidays unveiled its 2009 European brochures with it's first-ever Toronto launch party at the nightclub This Is London on Saturday. "We wanted to kick off the year strong and promote Europe as a destination," marketing manager Lisa McLean said, noting that the continent is the company's top travel spot. "Having it at a nightclub really fits in with the Contiki brand."

The travel company, which offers tours for 18- to 35-year-olds, invited more than 200 past Contiki clients, travel agents, industry partners, and employees from sister brands Insight Vacations and Trafalgar Tours. "The first 200 guests will get Venetian masks, French berets, German beer hats, and Scottish tams," McLean said in an interview prior to the launch, which doubled as a holiday party. "We want to bring in all of Europe."

The Contiki team dressed the venue in flags from each of the company's European destinations, and Nancy's Kitchen Catering served appetizers such as mini French toast with tomato feta bruschetta and crackers topped with antipasto and porchetta. "Our new brochures come out at the end of November for 2009 product," McLean said of the timing for the launch. "This is the time when young people are starting to think about where they want to go next year."

New tours for 2009 include a 10-day Croatia island cruise, a 14-day "Best of Europe" tour, and a 10-day eastern Mediterranean cruise. "With the global economy in decline, a lot of companies are cutting back, retreating and waiting for good times to roll again, but not Contiki—2009 is a year of renewal, innovation, and investment," Contiki president Cris David said.