THE BEST AND WORST ON-TIME AIRLINES
- Aeromexico had the world's best record – 87% – for on-time arrivals in 2024, according to an annual ranking released late last week. Delta Air Lines scored the highest among North American carriers, while WestJet and Air Canada finished at the bottom of that regional pack with on-time ratings below 72%.
TRAVEL DISRUPTED AS WINTER WALLOPS US, EUROPE
- A blast of snow, ice, wind and plunging temperatures stirred up dangerous travel conditions in parts of the central US on Sunday, as a disruptive winter storm brought the possibility of the “heaviest snowfall in a decade” to some areas. At the same time, the UK and Germany were walloped by heavy snow and freezing rain that similarly caused travel chaos as roads and airports closed.
WEATHER-PROOFING TRAVEL: Flight Centre touts top ‘cool-cations’
- Record-breaking heat waves in 2024 – including three of the hottest days on record globally, according to NASA – are fueling the rise "cool-cations" – trips to cooler, climate-resilient destinations during off-peak seasons that offer relief from extreme weather and crowded hotspots – amongst Canadians this year, according to Flight Centre Canada (FCC).
CENTRAL EUROPE SETS SIGHTS ON CANADIANS
- Tourism boards from Czechia, Hungary, Poland, and Slovakia recently joined forces in Toronto to connect with Canadian travel advisors and inspire bookings to Central Europe in 2025 and beyond. The event was part of the Discover Central Europe roadshow, which also visited Boston and Fort Lauderdale with the aim of showcasing the region’s heritage, vibrant cities, and natural beauty.
END OF AN ERA: Rare runway straddling Canada-U.S. border closes
- The Piney-Pinecreek Border Airport had a unique claim to fame – its runway straddled the border of the US and Canada. But after seven decades of operation, the small airport that sits near Roseau, Minnesota, and Piney, Manitoba, closed for good on Dec. 27.
ROUND-UP: Dec. 30-Jan. 03, 2025
- News nuggets, airlines, hotels/resorts, cruising, tours, events, FAMS/incentives, deals, destinations and more are covered in our weekly round-up of travel industry news you may have missed.
CHECK OUT OUR SPECIAL INFOCUS EDITIONS:
JUST IN CASE YOU MISSED YESTERDAY’s STORIES:
AI – WHERE IT’S GOING IN 2025
- If 2023 was a year of wonder about artificial intelligence, 2024 was the year to try to get that wonder to do something useful without breaking the bank. So, what’s in store for AI in the year to come?
TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO UNDER STATE OF EMERGENCY
- A spike in deadly gang violence prompted Trinidad and Tobago to implement a country-wide state of emergency last week. The declaration followed a weekend marred by a spate of gang-related violence that resulted in multiple deaths, including five men believed to be victims of reprisal shootings.
WHERE TTC TOUR BRANDS CLIENTS ARE GOING IN 2025
- TTC Tour Brands, which includes Trafalgar, Brendan Vacations, Costsaver, Contiki, Insight Vacations and Luxury Gold has made a list, checked it twice, and revealed its top trending destinations for 2025 based on recent booking behaviour by Canadian clients.
FLORIDA CONDO OWNERS FACE HIGHER COSTS
- Florida condominium owners are looking at higher costs from condo associations in the new year, a consequence of a safety law passed by state lawmakers in 2022. It requires associations to have sufficient reserves to cover major repairs and to conduct a survey of reserves every decade.
IS BIGGER BETTER? WE’RE ABOUT TO FIND OUT
- Some of the biggest ships ever built are beckoning in 2025 as cruising attracts record bookings. Many new arrivals are sisters of ships that were already the largest ever when they made their debuts. Even new small ships are bulking up.
HOW DO WE PICK OUR MUSIC VIDEOS?: And what’s it got to do with travel anyways?
- Probably the most common question I’m asked is, “How do you pick your music videos?” That no one seems to ask why a travel trade publication publishes a music column at all just shows how established and – dare I say – beloved our “Listening In” feature is every Friday. Before I go on, today’s video is the great British ska-pop band Bad Manners.
ROUND-UP: Dec. 9-13, 2024
- News nuggets, airlines, hotels/resorts, cruising, tours, events, FAMS/incentives, deals, destinations and more are covered in our weekly round-up of travel industry news you may have missed.