The owner of one of the downtown's newest eateries plans to steal a page from his suburban counterparts by opening what could be the area's biggest outdoor patio.

"People die for patios in this city," Rudy's Eat & Drink owner Michael Schafer said in an interview. "So it's very beneficial to have a patio, even if it's just for three or four months of the year."

And if Mother Nature and the Winnipeg Jets co-operate, Schafer won't wait until summer to set up his 160-seat patio on the outdoor plaza that runs along the Graham Avenue side of Manitoba Hydro's downtown office tower.

http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/opinion/columnists/patios-popping-up-downtown-142290325.html

The Lieutenant Governor’s Winter Festival’s success over its first decade has placed the event as one of Brandon’s best annual traditions.

However, as the event grows, some argue that the way it operates needs to be reviewed in order to maintain its place as a celebration of cultures that draws 60,000 pavilion visits over the course of a weekend.

Those issues were raised as the Winter Festival and its pavilions met recently to review the 2012 event, held Feb. 2-4.

"In previous years, there’s been concerns brought forward and we take them when they come," said Esther Bryan, the city’s community development manager and Winter Festival chairwoman. "People work hard and it’s near and dear to people’s hearts. We have to remember to celebrate the fact it is a cultural event for the citizens of Brandon."

http://www.brandonsun.com/local/winter-fest-has-some-growing-pains-142301135.html?thx=y

TORONTO -- Labour productivity at Canadian businesses grew faster than at their U.S. counterparts last year for the first time in nearly a decade, Statistics Canada said.

The report came the same day jobs data from both countries indicated the U.S. added jobs in February, while the number of Canadian jobs contracted, suggesting Canada may be replacing jobs gains with productivity, while the opposite is true south of the border.

After posting a better-than-expected 0.7 per cent gain in the fourth quarter of 2011, Canadian business productivity for the full year was up 0.8 per cent, slowing from the 1.5 per cent gain in 2010, Statistics Canada said Friday.

http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/business/canada-outpaces-us-labour-productivity-142188483.html

Charlottetown Guardian Editorial: Tourism Charlottetown Inc. shocked many Charlottetown area residents last week when it announced it was getting out of the events business, leaving the future of high-profile attractions in the capital city, such as the Jack Frost Festival and Fall Flavours, in limbo. But as disconcerting as the news may be, it forces a much-needed discussion about major events, the role and cost of them, and who should assume leadership for them.

It was rumoured for weeks that changes were in the works for Tourism Charlottetown, and last week, those changes were officially announced. Four staff who worked on the events side of Tourism Charlottetown were laid off and TCI president Doug Newson, in an email communication, said it would be moving its focus away from planning events and concentrating mainly on marketing the capital and booking conventions.

http://www.theguardian.pe.ca/Opinion/Editorials/2012-03-12/article-2923808/Who-will-assume-leadership-for-big-events/1

BERN, Switzerland - Who turns down a long vacation? Known for their work ethic, Swiss citizens appear to be leading the way on European austerity, rejecting a minimum six weeks paid holiday a year.

Switzerland counted ballots Sunday for five national referendums, including one pushed by a union to raise the minimum holiday up from four weeks, which is the standard used in Germany, Italy, Russia and other European nations. Some of the nation's 26 cantons (states) also held voting on local measures to deal with everything from demonstrators to prostitutes.

http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/fpnewstopstory/as-europe-struggles-swiss-voters-set-example-of-restraint-rejecting-6-weeks-paid-vacation-142244945.html

It's not just Florida that set a record for international tourists last year: The United States hosted more visitors from abroad than ever before, the U..S. Commerce Department announced.

A record 62 million tourists came to the United States from other countries last year, up 4 percent from 2010 levels.

New York, Miami and Los Angeles were the three biggest entry points, Commerce officials said.

The top sources of visitors from abroad were Canada, up 5 percent; Mexico, flat; United Kingdom, flat; Japan, down 4 percent; Germany, up 6 percent and Brazil, up 26 percent.

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/business/fl-international-tourism-20120312,0,2528461.story

Having just returned from the annual Travel Goods Association trade show in Las Vegas where thousands of buyers of luggage and travel accessories meet, I was astounded to see how many other conferences and trade shows were filling hotel properties and convention halls at the same time.

After the terrible years following 9/11 Las Vegas was a destination in trouble, not alone in the U.S. but since so much of the economy is tourism dependent those were dark years.

But Las Vegas has bounced back and welcomed almost 39 million visitors last year. If 2012 sees an increase in visitors by just a million they will have set a record.

http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/travel/las-vegas-again-enjoying-boom-times-142175533.html

Britain's Prince Harry poked fun at his father and brother on his arrival in Brazil.

The fun loving royal is visiting the country on behalf of the tourism campaign, GREAT, which hopes to attract millions of extra visitors to Britain, and Harry - who has shown off his love of dance while visiting the Caribbean for Queen Elizabeth's Diamond Jubilee earlier this month - quipped he was happy his brother William was not in Brazil because he too would be tempted to dance.

According to the Daily Telegraph newspaper, he said: "Everything about Rio makes you want to dance. I'm just so thankful that my brother isn't here because he might actually do it - and that would not be cool."

http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/arts-and-life/entertainment/celebrities/prince-harry-pokes-fun-at-charles-and-william-142179103.html

LOS ANGELES - At a wooded campsite in Santa Paula, Calif., north of Los Angeles, vacationers, stray deer and even peacocks must share the tree-shaded property with tractors, backhoes and stacks of lumber.

Work is in full swing to transform the 76-acre Ventura Ranch Kampgrounds of America site into one of a fast-growing breed of affordable outdoor destinations or resort campgrounds.

Workers already have added new lodges and upscale tepees and installed two 800-foot-long zip lines. Construction has begun on a pool and water slides to open by this summer.

A backhoe is moving dirt for a new playground area, and the park owner plans to build four treehouses near the banks of the Santa Paula Creek.

http://www.leadertelegram.com/features/travel/article_b4fe23ac-645b-5e7c-adec-0ea30d1af91d.html

(Excerpts from an article published originally in the MFP, March  '29)

Brandon, Man., March 11.—The biggest and the best ever is the verdict of the visitors to the Manitoba Winter Fair, which got underway this afternoon and was formally opened this evening. A parade of 70 foals led by 70 boys, followed by a parade of 150 calves led by both boys and girls, formed the overture while the big first night crowd was assembling. It was a wonderful sight as led by James Turner tarrying the Canadian ensign, and Piper Beaton playing a march, they circled round and round the great arena. At 8:15, His Honor J. D. McGregor, accompanied by his daughter, Mrs. Harte his grandson, J. D. McGregor, Jr. and Major J. W. Sifton  A.D.C.,was escorted to the directors' box by President J. Cameron Donaldson….     …The show was actually started in 1907, by a small group of Brandon citizens and farmers of the surrounding enterprise and it was only when it had developed to a point where it was of very great value to the entire province that it became known as Manitoba's Winter Fair and Fat Stock Show, and became recognized by all of the people in this province as the one outstanding show of commercial livestock in Manitoba. During the early years the directors met very serious difficulties and found the financing of the organization a burdensome task. No assistance was received at that time from either provincial or federal government. Extensions were immediately necessary after the first show and an arena was built with the city guaranteeing the bonds which were later assumed by the government. The fact that some years ago the Manitoba government saw fit to guarantee the bonds for a large sum to assist the financing of this organization is proof that the people of this province had determined that the Manitoba Winter Fair was an organization that must receive province wide support in recognition of its general service to the livestock Industry….     …Owing to the fact that the buildings are now taxed to their capacity, the time has arrived when some financing is necessary. Improvements are needed in the accommodation provided for the animals, and also for visitors, and the place that the Manitoba Winter Pair now holds in the agricultural life of this province makes it necessary that some immediate arrangements be made for the necessary extensions and improvements.