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One of the biggest names in the Canadian Football League, and a longtime TSN broadcaster will headline the opening gala for the town of Killarney's new Shamrock Centre on Sept. 5. Michael (Pinball) Clemons, a former player and current CEO of the Toronto Argonauts, will join Michael Landsberg, the host of TSN's Off The Record to pay tribute to the community's sporting spirit during the centre's evening dinner celebration. The news has Killarney's Mayor Rick Pauls bursting with pride for what his town has accomplished. "You kind of stand a few inches higher," Pauls told the Sun yesterday. "This is the kind of building we built. This is a state-of-the-art, beautiful, beautiful recreation centre. We have the capability to have what you call headliners come out in our hall.

Brandonites appear to be bucking the results of a national poll released yesterday, which found that record-high gas prices have affected how a majority of Canadians spend their vacation days. The online survey, conducted by Angus Reid Strategies, found that 56 per cent of Canadians polled claim the soaring cost of fuel has forced them to scale back, postpone or even cancel vacation plans this year. But it's a different story in Brandon says the owner of a local travel agency, who has noticed a surge in early overseas bookings. "We're seeing a 15-20 per cent increase," Marlin Travel owner Marlene Kirton told the Sun yesterday. "It is an anomaly. We're trying to find out why we're so busy here."... ...Brandonites appear to be bucking the results of a national poll released yesterday, which found that record-high gas prices have affected how a majority of Canadians spend their vacation days. The online survey, conducted by Angus Reid Strategies, found that 56 per cent of Canadians polled claim the soaring cost of fuel has forced them to scale back, postpone or even cancel vacation plans this year. But it's a different story in Brandon says the owner of a local travel agency, who has noticed a surge in early overseas bookings. "We're seeing a 15-20 per cent increase," Marlin Travel owner Marlene Kirton told the Sun yesterday. "It is an anomaly. We're trying to find out why we're so busy here."

David Steinberg, director of several episodes of Friends, Newhart, Seinfeld, Mad About You, Designing Women, and executive producer of the hit series Weeds and Curb Your Enthusiasm, will be in Winnipeg September 27, 2008 as part of Rotary International's Distinguished Speaker Series. Net proceeds of the event will go to the International Student Endowment Fund on behalf of The Canadian Museum for Human Rights. A $40.00 tax receipt will be issued by Rotary International District 5550 after the event. Tickets are available through Ticketmaster. Rush seating for tables of 10. Click the following link to reserve your seat for this sure-to-popular event: www.ticketmaster.ca/event/11004106C64B9CAC?artistid=1245510&majorcatid=10005&minorcatid=0. In addition to David's performance, the event will include a silent and live auction.

The Canadian economy likely managed sufficient growth to avoid a technical recession in the second quarter, although inflation appears to be easing, the Bank of Canada suggested Tuesday. In a clear signal to markets in advance of next week's interest rate announcement, deputy governor David Longworth said in a prepared speech in Kingston, Ont., that the central bank is once again downgrading its expectations for economic recovery, and toning down its inflation alert. Economists said the revisions for both growth and inflation suggests bank governor Mark Carney will leave the trendsetting overnight interest rate at three per cent next Wednesday. The bigger surprise in the speech came in the downward revision of growth -- the third this year -- citing the ongoing financial market turmoil, weak U.S. demand for Canadian products and commodity prices that have tumbled since mid-July.

The True North may be even more "free" than our national anthem implies, if a new list of the world's best clothing-optional beaches is any indication. According to the countdown, commissioned by USA Today and compiled by the American Association for Nude Recreation, Canada is one of the Top 10 greatest places to "leave the swimsuit at home." Vancouver's Wreck Beach, this country's first and largest legal clothing-optional beach, won Canada a spot on the list alongside such famed locales as France's Cap d'Agde, also known as "the naked city;" the Caribbean's postcard-pretty Orient Bay in the Virgin Islands; Florida's Haulover Beach, which attracts a million visitors -- clothed and unclothed -- to Miami every year; and Little Beach, a Hawaiian hotspot where sun worshippers prefer birthday suits to grass skirts. Carolyn Hawkins, spokeswoman for the Nude Recreation association, says Canada is simply a great place to be naked.

Drivers of Greyhound buses are restricting carry-on bags as a safety measure after last month's killing of a male passenger in Manitoba, the president of Local 1374 of the Amalgamated Transit Union said Monday. "It's up to the discretion [of the driver], but I believe everybody is taking action," said Jim Higgs in Calgary. Higgs added that he informed drivers of the measure in a bulletin over the weekend. "They have broad ability to restrict or deny carry-ons." That means bus drivers can force passengers to put their bags in the belly of the bus, except for medicines, baby-related items and books, he said. The union and the company have formed a subcommittee to address safety and security measures on buses after Tim McLean was stabbed multiple times and beheaded on a Greyhound bus near Portage la Prairie on July 30, Higgs said.

Canada's strong dollar has contributed to a more than sixfold increase in Canada's travel deficit and there's no relief in sight, a report prepared for the Canadian Tourism Commission suggests. Last year, $10.2 billion more flowed out of the Canadian economy than into it as a result of such spending, continuing a steady increase from what was just $1.7 billion in 2002, the year before the loonie began its record rise to parity from less than 65 US cents, the report released by the tourism commission notes. "What's more, with the Canadian dollar expected to remain close to current levels over the entire forecast horizon, the travel deficit is expected to continue to widen," it says. The strong dollar, while Canada a more expensive place for foreigners to visit is also making international travel more affordable for Canadians, it notes. "Also, by encouraging conference planners to relocate events to destinations with weaker currencies, the high dollar may also have an adverse effect on business travel."

A communication glitch on Tuesday at a Federal Aviation Administration facility, which processes flight plans across the United States, is the cause for "delays of 16 to 45 minutes involving some three dozen airport around the country." At press time, details as to the cause and extent of the situation have yet to emerge. FAA spokeswoman Kathleen Bergen, however, told reporters that "there are no safety issues and officials are still able to speak to pilots on planes on the ground and in the air." The trouble occurred at an FAA facility in Hampton, Georgia Tuesday afternoon when a communication link that transmits the data to a facility in Salt Lake City failed, according to Bergen. The communication breakdown resulted to the a near Salt Lake City having to process many more flight plans than usual which caused the delays.

Complete: WASHINGTON, DC (August 26, 2008) - The US Department of State has begun production of the new US Passport Card, a convenient, wallet-sized document to be used for re-entry into the US at land border crossings and sea ports of entry when arriving from Mexico, Canada, the Caribbean and Bermuda. As part of the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI), travelers will be required to present a single document denoting both citizenship and identity when entering the United States through land or sea borders. This requirement will go into effect June 1, 2009. The US Passport Card cannot be used for international air travel. Information on cost and how to apply for a US Passport Card is available at http://www.travel.state.gov/.

A survey conducted by credit card giant Visa has found that the dollar's decline hasn't dampened enthusiasm for travel abroad among large numbers of Americans - but it has shortened the distance they are willing to travel. According to Visa, the survey, which polled only US payment cardholders who had traveled outside the US in the past three years, found that two out of three respondents (63 percent) are equally or more willing to travel compared with one year ago. And half said they are likely to take a trip abroad in the next 12 months. For those travelers, Canada and Mexico are their most likely destinations outside the 50 states. That is not to say the interest in traveling among US travelers is waning, however. According to Visa, 74 percent of respondents who said they are not traveling internationally in the next year are interested in traveling overseas in the future.

The number of travelers this upcoming Labor Day weekend is expected to be down but a new survey says it "debunks" negative rumors about American's vacation habits, according to Expedia. "Frankly, the notion that Americans are staying home this summer is just plain wrong," said Chris McGinnis, editor, Expedia Travel Trendwatch. "According to our data, people have again taken to the roads and skies this season and they're taking advantage of budget-saving opportunities along the way." AAA reported that the number of people traveling 50 miles or more will drop by 0.9% this Labor Day weekend compared with last year -- the biggest drop in at least eight years. "More travelers concerned about the economy, gasoline prices and rising airfares are opting to travel by train, bus, motorcycle and cruise ship to their holiday weekend destinations," AAA President and CEO Robert L. Darbelnet said in a news release. But Expedia takes a more positive look. Included below are their top five "mythbusters:"

FAIRBANKS -- On a typical summer evening, Chena Marina RV Park owner Suzanne Spanjer could count on meeting new friends from all over the world on the grassy lawns in her own backyard. Sometimes she'd fire up a barbecue, other times watch with her traveling guests as float planes bounced onto the glassy lake at the park edge. Many of her visitors would become repeat clients, and some became more than that. She met fiancé Bill Wileman -- now the business's chief operating officer -- through the RV park. Wileman's daughter connected with a traveler staying at the park and later married him. Those days are over.... ..."People are still coming, but they're not driving up the road," Spanjer said. "Nobody is out on the roads. They're gone." Jeff Sherouse is Port of Entry Director at the Alaska Highway border crossing, where most over-the-road vacationers enter Alaska. Crossings from Canada are down nearly 20 percent when compared with the same year-to-date period in 2007, and he's seeing changes in the type of traffic, too.

Canadian consumers are abandoning their shopping carts, delaying purchases and leaving stores, public transit stops and restaurants in significant numbers according to a Maritz Research survey on customer wait times, released today. A whopping 86 per cent of participants polled admitted to walking out of a store frustrated with having waited too long for service. The research showed that customer expectations and opinions on wait times were strongly influenced by the retailer's attitude towards client care. The poll also reveals the ripple effect of unsatisfied consumers, impacting their future spending and potentially additional loss of sales through negative word-of-mouth messages.

An Untapped Marketing Opportunity (Presented jointly by Travel Manitoba and Parks Canada) It's a well known fact that Manitoba has a rich heritage associated with the Fur Trade era, but how can that translate into new travel experiences for visitors to Manitoba? And, equally important, how can you as a tourism experience provider capitalize on the opportunity? To explore the opportunity, please plan to join other interested experience suppliers on Tuesday, September 30, 2008, 8:00 AM - 4:30 PM in one of the most authentic Fur Trade era locations around - Lower Fort Garry National Historic Site. The price to participate is only $25.00 (including continental breakfast and a networking lunch). The deadline to register is Monday, September 22, 2008. For more information and to register, please visit http://ti.travelmanitoba.com/reference/workshops.html.