Destinations

WERE THE OLYMPICS A SUCCESS FOR FRENCH TOURISM?: It depends on who you ask

A surge of tourists for the Paris Olympics (including Paralympics) this summer has put France on the path to achieving record tourist numbers in 2024. According to government data released last week, some 1.7 million international visitors came during the Olympic period, up 13% compared with the previous year, and another 1.4 million French tourists visited the capital, up 26%. In addition, the Olympics drew millions more visitors who travelled to Paris for the day.

VIENNA VIEW: Austrian city a ‘powerhouse’ of arts and culture

Vienna, home of Johann Strauss, whose 200th birthday is being celebrated in 2025, serenaded the Canadian trade with news from the Austrian capital on Tuesday in Toronto. Accompanied by a classical music duo, and colourful montage artist, the city tourist board’s market manager for Canada Elke Bachner said Canadian visits to the city are surging, not least due to ample lift from Air Canada’s courtesy of its year-round direct flights from Toronto and Montreal.

EARN A TRIP TO ANTIGUA AND BARBUDA: Inaugural event celebrates top Canadian producers

The Antigua and Barbuda Tourism Authority is set to honour its top producing travel professionals – including 25 Canadians – at a gala event on island in December. The inaugural Antigua and Barbuda Black Pineapple Awards will celebrate “the outstanding achievements of hard-working travel agents from around the world,” culminating in a gala black-tie dinner and awards ceremony. 

REEFER MADNESS: Major Florida tourism project hits a snag

A Florida county is in talks to acquire a storied but aging ocean liner in a proposed deal that could create the largest artificial reef in the world. But the plan has hit a snag, after local officials in coastal Okaloosa County in the Florida panhandle postponed a vote on the plan to buy and purposefully sink the SS United States.

IS TREVI FOUNTAIN NEXT?: Rome considers charging tourists for access

City officials in Rome are now considering a plan to manage tourism to one of Rome’s most-visited sites by implementing a 2-euro fee to visit Trevi Fountain – a site that is typically packed with hoards of selfie-taking tourists eager to toss coins in the pool in a quest for good luck, or at least another visit to the Eternal City.

FAN-ATICAL ABOUT PHILLY

They’re versatile! Following a visit early this summer designed to highlight arts and culture (culminating in tickets to a performance of the Philadelphia Orchestra), delegates from the Philadelphia Visitors and Convention Bureau returned to Toronto Wednesday, this time (ball) cap in hand while hosting select members of the trade at a Phillies-Jays game at the Rogers Centre.

GRAPE ESCAPES: Unique places to discover Swiss wine country

With wine season (Sept.-Oct.) set to be uncorked, Switzerland’s Grape Escapes program offers around 60 special accommodation options – from chic boutique hotels to simple Räbhüsli, and “birdboxes” to “bubble” stays – where everything is included. What they all have in common is a connection to wine and the vines.

CHOOSING MAUI MEANS MORE

As Maui continues to rebuild after last year’s devastating wildfires, the island continues to welcome back visitors. While some parts of Lahaina have yet to reopen, several restaurants, businesses and activities, such as returning festivals, in Lahaina have resumed operations. And to encourage visitors, Hawaii Tourism has launched a new destination campaign with special discount offers for visitors.

‘WE WILL BE BACK’: Jasper’s rocky road to recovery

The road to recovery is starting to clear for businesses and the tourism in industry in Jasper, Alta., a month after some 25,000 visitors and residents were forced to flee a raging wildfire. While Jasper National Park and the town are still closed to visitors, late last week the park service reopened the road south through the Rocky Mountains that is a key draw for tourists.

SAFARI MEETS RIVERBOAT: It’s the only choice if Africa’s fragile ecosystem is to survive

The sun is a red orb sitting low on the horizon. The only sound is the eerie cry of an African Fish Eagle. It’s all rather splendid, quietly cruising on the Zambezi Queen by Mantis along the Chobe River, between Namibia’s Caprivi Strip and Botswana’s Chobe National Park, which together contain one of Africa’s densest concentrations of wildlife.

PIER PRESSURE: Summer tourists flock to waterfronts

Small businesses along popular vacation destinations like boardwalks and piers in the US say the number of tourists flocking to the waterfront is back to normal, meaning pre-2020 levels. But while the affluent are spending freely, lower-income vacationers are sticking to carefully planned-out budgets.

CANADIANS PLAY PART IN FLORIDA TOURISM RECORD

Florida welcomed a record-breaking 34.2 million visitors in the second quarter of 2024 – including an estimated 739,000 Canadians. This figure represents a 1.7% increase over the same period in 2023, setting a new all-time high for second-quarter visitation in the state’s history.

ARCH NEMESIS: Why are Utah’s famous rocks falling down?

A common line of questions has emerged from tourists in Utah’s Arches National Park since an iconic rock arch at Lake Powell known as the “Toilet Bowl” collapsed earlier this month. Are these arches also at risk of falling soon? What is being done to prevent their collapse?

EAT, STAY & PLAY: Montréal’s summer joie de vivre

Fresh from retaining its status as the country’s culinary capital on Canada’s 100 Best Restaurants list, Montréal is riding high this summer with a dizzying array of activities and developments, from hot new restaurant and hotel openings to unique sporting events and vibrant festivals. We break it all down here.

JASPER AS WE KNEW IT MAY BE GONE

The town of Jasper will be rebuilt, but It could take more than a century for the freshly burned forest in Jasper National Park to regenerate into the postcard-perfect form that attracted Canadians from across the country, and visitors from around the world, a wildfire expert says. 

THE IN AND OUT CLUB: Posh Piccadilly hotel to revive historic London site

Cambridge House, the former In and Out Military Club, in Mayfair, London, will be managed by Auberge Resorts Collection, an award-winning portfolio of one-of-a-kind luxury hotels, resorts and residences when the historic property at 94 Piccadilly opens next year in the British capital.

HEATHROW EXPRESS OFFERS B2B BOOKINGS

London’s Heathrow Express has launched an online booking platform, designed specifically for B2B partners. The platform offers tour operators, travel advisors and DMCs a streamlined method to book Heathrow Express tickets at a corporate rate. They now have  the opportunity to offer Heathrow Express tickets as an additional option for their customers, enhancing their travel packages with the added benefit of incentives.

SOMETHING IN THE AIR: Malaysia pioneers durian tourism

Tourism Malaysia has unveiled an array of tourism packages that spotlight the destination’s famous – and notoriously smelly – fruit: the durian – called by some the “King of Fruits.” The new publication, “Durian Tourism Packages 2024/2025,” features 62 packages from 27 local tour operators across 12 Malaysian states, blending the renowned flavours of fragrant durians with entertaining activities.

UNVEILING THE STOCKHOLM ARCHIPELAGO TRAIL

Starting in October, nature lovers and fitness enthusiasts will have a new opportunity to discover Sweden on the Stockholm Archipelago Trail (SAT), a new 270-km hiking route through one of the world’s largest island groups with about 30,000 islands, islets, and skerries. There will be 20 sections of the route that reveal 21 spectacular islands where “pristine nature awaits.”

ISLAND-HOPPING IN THE BAHAMAS: Finding the one that’s the right fit

The Bahamas is composed of more than 700 islets, islands, and 2,400 cays. Of those, less than 40 are inhabited. From the well-known, like Nassau-Paradise Island to hidden gems like Ragged Island, each island promises a distinctive window into Bahamian life and culture. So where to go? Here’s a list of 16 unique islands – all of them worthy, in their own special way:

A GUIDE TO ACCESSBILE FLORIDA

The Sunshine State has made significant investments in improving accessibility for travellers. With extensive resources for people with special needs, visitors of all ages and abilities can participate in and enjoy experiences across the state. Here are just some of the ways Florida partners aim to help.

COLOMBIA CALLING: Air Canada Vacations unveils new guided tours program

Building on extensive flight access from Toronto and Montreal, Air Canada Vacations has introduced a new guided tours program for Colombia, featuring year-round tours and immersive experiences that cover the South American nation’s pristine coasts, natural marvels and colonial towns.

TREE OF LIFE: How Maui’s beloved Banyan was saved after wildfire

When last August’s deadly wildfire tore through Lahaina on Maui, the wall of flames scorched the 151-year-old banyan tree along the historic town’s Front Street. But the sprawling tree – a beloved symbol of the town – survived the blaze, and thanks to the efforts of arborists and dedicated volunteers, parts of it are growing back – and even thriving.

FROZEN TREATS AND LOTS OF ICE: How Florida zoos protect animals from summer heat

Malayan tigers and Aldabra tortoises are native to hot and humid lands, but that doesn’t mean they don’t enjoy a frozen treat on a hot Florida summer day. Temperatures in South Florida this month have reached the upper 90s Fahrenheit (mid-30s Celsius) with humidity reaching 70%, combining for “feels like” temperatures regularly exceeding 100 F (38 C).

THE ROAD TO IQALUIT: Unusual flight ensures rare fare

For the owners of Chrono Aviation, opening a new passenger route to Iqaluit isn’t necessarily about selling the most tickets. Chrono’s passenger service between Montreal and the capital of Nunavut took off this week (Aug. 6), with planes making the round trip twice a week.

TAMPA’S FIELD OF DREAMS: City envisions ‘world-class tourist destination’

Government backing has been approved to enable the Tampa Bay Rays to finally build a new ballpark for the team, replacing arguably major league baseball’s most dismal venue. But local officials see the Field of Dreams development as more than that: an opportunity to transform the west-Florida city into a “world-class tourism destination” at the same time.

STONEHENGE TUNNEL KICKED DOWN THE ROAD, AGAIN

Britain’s new Labour government has axed a construction project on a controversial traffic tunnel bypass near Stonehenge as part of austerity measures resulting from what it called an unexpected 22-billion-pound shortfall in the public finances.

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