Sunwing goes galactic with the exciting addition of Melbourne, Florida to its winter lineup

TORONTO, Sept. 14, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- For years, Sunwing has brought Canadians to Florida's Sunshine State to experience its tropical-like climate and attractive offerings. This winter, the tour operator is thrilled to announce the addition of Melbourne, a brand-new destination along the south of Florida's Space Coast offering more sun, beach and out-of-this-world exploration.

The tour operator will also be returning to two beloved destinations in the United States this winter with multiple direct flights from Toronto and Montréal, including Orlando, one of Florida's greatest attractions, and Miami, a popular vacation destination for city exploration and cruise departures.

"This winter, we're thrilled to be returning to Florida with Melbourne as our newest destination offering for Sunwing customers," said Andrew Dawson, President of Tour Operations for Sunwing. "In addition to the desirable destinations of Orlando and Miami, there's much to explore along Florida's Space Coast with beautiful beaches, a historic downtown core and nearby attractions, plus easy access to Port Canaveral for winter cruise sailings. Given the incredible customer demand for sun vacations this winter, we look forward to bringing more customers to Melbourne to experience its family-friendly charm."

"We are incredibly excited about the new service being offered by Sunwing as it opens up an important market for us," said Peter Cranis, Executive Director, Space Coast Office of Tourism. "No other country brings more visitors to our region than Canada, and now we have a great opportunity to serve them well as they choose the Space Coast for their winter vacations. We look forward to a long-lasting partnership with Sunwing and introducing Canadians to all that Melbourne has to offer."

In Melbourne, or "The Harbour City", travellers can enjoy the sun and sand at Indialantic, Indian Harbour Beach, Satellite Beach and Melbourne Beach, home to one of the world's most significant Sea Turtle nesting habitats, or tour the local culture in Melbourne's historic downtown centre with authentic cuisine, famed mural art, shopping and street festivals.

Travellers can also sample fresh seafood in Port Canaveral, tour the Grapefruit Trails in Palm Bay or interact with over 900 animals at Brevard Zoo. Kennedy Space Centre Visitor Complex, one of Florida's most popular attractions an hour outside of Melbourne, offers up-close views of Space Shuttle Atlantis, life-sized Mars rover replicas and NASA rockets. Vacationers can also drive to Orlando for a day of fun at Walt Disney World and Universal Orlando.

"The exciting announcement of our partnership with Melbourne Orlando International Airport and Florida's Space Coast Office of Tourism comes at a crucial time when demand for holiday and winter travel is at an all-time high," added Eric Rodriguez, Executive Vice President of Partner Development for Sunwing. "Following the recent expansion to the passenger terminal in Melbourne, our customers can enjoy a seamless vacation experience from beginning to end and enjoy their travels in Melbourne with ease. With even more opportunities to discover Florida this winter, we're confident Melbourne will become a new favourite for Canadians."

"We are delighted to welcome Sunwing Airlines to Melbourne Orlando International Airport," said MLB Executive Director Greg Donovan. A.A.E. "The addition of Sunwing to our expanding list of air service partners is an incredible win for MLB and the greater Central Florida community. Through this new partnership, we are providing new international air service options, linking our convenient hometown airport with three major Canadian cities and welcoming thousands of travellers directly to our coastal gateway to Central Florida. It's the perfect opportunity to connect visitors, relatives and family."

Whether extending their getaway or stopping in to set sail, Sunwing vacationers can embark on their winter cruise sailings from Port Canaveral and soon book Norwegian Cruise Line Escape for January 2023 departures, visiting exciting ports of call from the Bahamas to the British Virgin Islands, with a range of fun-filled amenities on board.

With a number of hotels coming soon to destination, Sunwing customers can book the Sunshine State for winter travel starting November 1, 2022 with weekly direct flights on board Sunwing Airlines, including:

• Between Toronto and Orlando, daily starting November 1, 2022
• Between Toronto and Melbourne, Saturdays and Wednesdays starting December 10, 2022
• Between Toronto and Miami, Sundays starting December 18, 2022
• Between Winnipeg and Melbourne, Saturdays starting December 10, 2022
• Between Montréal and Miami, Sundays starting December 18, 2022
• Between Halifax and Melbourne, Fridays starting February 10, 2023

About Sunwing

The largest integrated travel company in North America, Sunwing has more flights to the south than any other leisure carrier with convenient direct service from airports across Canada to popular sun destinations across the U.S.A., Caribbean, Mexico and Central America. This scale enables Sunwing to offer customers exclusive deals at top-rated resorts in the most popular vacation destinations as well as cruise packages and seasonal domestic flight service. Sunwing customers benefit from the assistance of the company's own knowledgeable destination representatives, who greet them upon arrival and support them throughout their vacation journey. The company supports the communities where it operates through the Sunwing Foundation, a charitable initiative focused on the support and development of youth and humanitarian aid.

For more information:

Melanie Anne Filipp
Director, Corporate Communications & Media Relations
Sunwing Travel Group
1-800-387-5602 | [email protected]

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/b94f0256-23e0-46d1-95bf-2630af3a2a9e