Central Canada is the Ultimate Canadian hotspot this Summer

With activities and festivals to please every traveller, Ontario and Québec are top destinations

TORONTO, July 11, 2012 /CNW/ - There's a reason the majority of the Canadian population lives in central Canada. It has major metropolitan areas, is easily accessible and is close to our U.S. neighbours. But did you know it's also an exciting, and versatile, destination for summer travellers?

From festivals to concerts and outdoor attractions, there's no shortage of things to do during the summer months. With this in mind, the travel experts at Hotels.com® have put together a list of activities for your entertainment.

"One of the great things about Canada is that no two provinces are the same," says Taylor L. Cole, director public relations and social media, North America at Hotels.com. "Ontario and Québec, in particular, really come alive in the summertime, making them the perfect places for affordable summer vacations."

Ontario

1. Beaches International Jazz Festival: Starting July 20^th for nine days, you can enjoy live music on Toronto's east side. What's better than spending your days tanning and your nights listening to talented musicians? Oh, and did we mention it's free?
2. Summerlicious: We all like eating, especially if it's at fancy restaurants. During Summerlicious, 150 of Toronto's top restaurants create affordable prix-fixe menus so you can try the cuisine and keep your cash. When? Now - July 22^nd.
3. Ontario Summer Games: If you didn't make it to London this month, don't fret. Starting August 16^th, watch amateur athletes as they compete in 28 different sports.
4. Rideau Canal Festival: It's the Rideau Canal's 180^th anniversary and Ottawa's biggest floating birthday party. If you're going to make a date with the nation's capital do it from August 3^rd - 6^th.
5. Ottawa Night Market: This multicultural event gives you something to do in the evening besides going to the pub. From August 10^th - 12^th, you can eat, shop, or simply stroll around and check out the different vendors.

Quebec

1. Montréal Just for Laughs Festival: For the last two of weeks of July, Montréal's the happiest place to be… at least we think so! Check out the talent at comedy shows guaranteed to put a smile on your face.
2. Osheaga Festival: Coming to Montréal on August 3^rd - 5^th, this trendy music festival includes The Black Keys, Metric and the lovable Snoop Dogg. It's also outside. We're sold!
3. Rodéo du Camion: Taking place on August 2^nd - 5^th in Notre Dame Du Nord, this truck rodeo is the largest trucker festival in eastern Canada. With heavy truck pulling contests, truck beauty contests and country music, it sounds like a truckin' good time.

No need to travel overseas this summer when we have so much to do in our own country! Check out travel deals in the Summer Sale and don't forget to make use of helpful mobile travel apps so you can browse and book on the go.

About Hotels.com®

Hotels.com (also known in Canada as Hotels.ca) is a leading online accommodation booking website with more than 150,000 properties around the world, ranging from international chains and all-inclusive resorts to local favourites and bed & breakfasts, together with all the information needed to book the perfect stay. Hotels.com benefits from one of the largest hotel contracting teams in the industry, negotiating the best rates for its customers, and offers frequent sales, special deals and promotions. There are more than 6.5 million guest reviews on the site from users who have actually stayed in the hotels to ensure customers can make an informed choice when booking. Through its industry-leading loyalty program Welcome Rewards™, customers can earn a free night for every 10 nights stayed at more than 65,000 hotels. Under its Price Match Guarantee, if a customer can find the same deal for less on a prepaid hotel, Hotels.com will refund the difference. Travellers can book online or by contacting one of the multilingual call centres. Special apps for mobile phones and tablets can also be downloaded at www.hotels.com/deals/mobile_app/  enabling customers to book on the go with access to 20,000 last minute deals. Hotels.com publishes an award-winning twice-yearly review of international hotel room price trends called the Hotels.com Hotel Price Index™, which is now produced in 31 individual country editions, with North American data available at http://www.hotel-price-index.com. Follow Hotels.com on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/hotelsdotcomca, on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/hotelsdotcomca and on YouTube at http://www.youtube.com/user/hotelsdotcom. Hotels.com is part of Expedia, Inc., the largest online travel company in the world with an extensive portfolio that includes some of the world's best-known brands.

Hotels.com, Finding You The Perfect Place and the Hotels.com logo are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Hotels.com, LP. All other trademarks are property of their respective owners. © 2012 Hotels.com, LP. All rights reserved

Image with caption: "Central Canada charms travellers of all ages each summer (CNW Group/Hotels.com)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20120711_C7483_PHOTO_EN_16175.jpg

Press contacts: 

Lauren Wasley
energi PR for hotels.com
Phone: [phone] ext. 19
Email: [email protected]

Taylor L. Cole, APR
hotels.com North America
Phone: [phone]
Email: [email protected]