Travel Industry Today

U.S. GETS TOUGH WITH AIRLINES
Automatic fare refunds, more disclosure for consumers

The US government issued final rules Wednesday to require airlines to automatically issue cash refunds for things like delayed flights and to better disclose fees for baggage or cancelling a reservation. The Transportation Department said airlines will be required to provide automatic cash refunds within a few days for cancelled flights and “significant” delays, which it defines as three hours for domestic flights and six hours for international ones. MORE

TOURISM ROARS BACK, BUT BUSINESSES STILL BATTLE DEBT

Maureen Gordon has weathered hard times before. She and her husband began running ecotourism outfit Maple Leaf Adventures out of Vancouver about a month before the 9/11 terrorist attacks devastated international travel in 2001. The rebound was relatively quick. Fallout from COVID-19 has proven much more prolonged. MORE

WHERE CANADIANS ARE GOING
Virtuoso reveals the trends for 2024

Luxury travel network Virtuoso hosted three networking and professional development events this month for its Canadian member agencies, advisors, and preferred partners. Virtuoso On Tour Canada kicked off in Montréal April 4-5 at the Four Seasons Hotel Montréal, continued in Vancouver April 8-9 at the DOUGLAS, an Autograph Collection Hotel, and wrapped at the Shangri-La Toronto April 11-12. MORE

‘STAY & CRUISE’
MSC Cruises unveils new summer program

MSC Cruises has announced a new summer ‘Stay & Cruise’ program, offering guests the chance to extend their cruise with a new add-on package in five destinations: Athens, Venice, Rome, Miami, and New York. Clients can book extra accommodation for two or three nights (depending on the city) before or after their cruise, coupled with a half-day city excursion. MORE

ETHICAL AFRICA
How to make a positive impact while on safari

African Travel, Inc., the Travel Corporation’s luxury safari outfitter, is promoting ethical wildlife experiences by sharing responsible practices with clients help create a healthy planet. ATI is highlighting three key areas where clients can make a positive impact on wildlife conservation and the protection of habitats while enjoying an immersive African safari adventure. MORE

NICOLE DAVEY NEW TRAVELBRANDS BC BDM

TravelBrands has announced the appointment of Nicole Davey as its new Business Development Manager for British Columbia. With over 10 years of experience in the travel industry, both as a selling agent and an office manager, Davey brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to her new role. MORE

A LIFETIME OF ACHIEVEMENT
Carnival president Christine Duffy honoured by CLIA

A “global travel industry champion,” Carnival Cruise Line President Christine Duffy has been honoured with the Cruise Lines International Association’s Lifetime Achievement Award for 2024. Steering the flagship brand of Carnival Corp., Duffy leads more than 48,000 Carnival Cruise Line team members who cater to more than 5.5 million guests each year. MORE

AGENTS PAY PRICE FOR SKIPLAGGING
And it’s unfair, says WTAAA

As airfares continue to surge, travellers are increasingly turn to “skiplagging” for more affordable options – a practice frowned upon by airlines. But it’s travel advisors who often pay the price, says the World Travel Agents Associations Alliance (WTAAA), which is urging airlines to stop penalizing agents when clients break the rules. MORE

VEGAS TO L.A.
Construction begins on first U.S. bullet train

A US$12-billion passenger bullet train linking Sin City to the City of Angels is now under construction with the Las Vegas-Los Angeles line dubbed the first true high-speed rail service in the US. The private company building it is predicting millions of ticket-buyers will be boarding trains by 2028. MORE

SPORTS TOURISM HIGH ON THE SCORECARD FOR CANADIANS

With the hockey playoffs and baseball season now in session – and the Summer Olympics and EURO 2024 only a few calendar page flips off – Flight Centre Travel Group (FCTG) says its research show that nearly one out of every two Canadians say they are likely to plan a trip focused on attending sporting events. MORE

TRAVEL TALK
TDC hosts Leaders Forum in B.C.

Transat Distribution Canada (TDC) recently invited its English Canada owners, managers, preferred partners, and leadership team to a strategic retreat at the River Rock Casino Resort in Richmond, BC – this following a similar session for Quebec members earlier in the month in Charlevoix. MORE

MORE AIR TRAFFIC CONTROLLERS IN THE PIPELINE

Flight simulator maker CAE Inc. says it has signed an agreement with Nav Canada to help train flight service specialists and air traffic controllers beginning this fall. In July, IATA called out air traffic control organizations in North America, which include Nav Canada, for staffing shortages that "continue to produce unacceptable delays and disruptions." MORE

BROWN-ALCE NAMED NEW DDG OF BAHAMAS TOURISM

Valery Brown-Alce, a veteran in the Bahamas tourism sector, has been appointed as the newest Deputy Director General (DDG) of the Bahamas Ministry of Tourism, Investments & Aviation. Her appointment is effective immediately and responsibilities include oversight of the Bahamas Tourist Offices in the US, Canada, and Europe. MORE

FOUL BALL
FAA to probe baseball coach in cockpit during Toronto flight

US authorities are investigating after a video that surfaced on social media showing a man who appears to be Colorado Rockies hitting coach Hensley Meulens sitting in the pilot's seat "at cruise altitude" while bound for Toronto. The Instagram post, which has been taken down, included a caption that said "the captain and the first officer" of a United Airlines charter flight had allowed the poster to sit in the cockpit during the flight from Denver. MORE