There’s nothing like Christmas in a castle, and this year, Windsor Castle outside London will see Christmas displays celebrating the 675th anniversary of the Order of the Garter, the oldest order of chivalry in Britain which was founded in Windsor in 1348.
This year’s 46th Winterlude in Canada’a Capital Region is scheduled to take place Feb. 2-19 with a promise of experiences that combine winter with rich culture, artistic creativity, and a celebration of Canada’s diversity. Each year, the iconic event transforms Ottawa-Gatineau into a festive gathering with indoor and outdoor activities for all tastes.
Goway and APT & Travelmarvel, both like-minded Down Under specialists, leveraged a long-standing partnership earlier this year that saw the former become the official North American partner for the latter – and it’s a plan that has proved positively bonzer (“first rate” in Aussie lingo), according to company officials.
New York City is always a hive of activity, and never more so than during the holidays, culminating in the famed New Year’s ball-drop at Times Square. But there is much more to do in the Big Apple, and much of it is free.
Scientists anticipated the eruption of a volcano in southwestern Iceland near the country’s top tourist attraction for weeks, so when it happened on Monday night, it was no surprise. The region had been active for more than two years and thousands of small earthquakes rattled the area in recent weeks. Here is a look at what happened and how it may affect flights and tourism.
Brazil’s Embratur has joined the Canadian association of tour operators (CATO), an unusual arrangement for a tourist board, but one that reflects the South American country’s keen interest in the Canadian tourism market.
It’s been an “incredible” year for Nassau Paradise Island (NPI), from the opening of the city’s spectacular new cruise port to a Golden Jubilee, plus landmark hotel happenings and record arrivals. And in Canada, the return of representation for the NPI Promotion Board, which has “ambitious” goals for the destination in this country.
The Bahamas is perhaps best known as a beach destination, famed for soft white sands, sparkling turquoise waters, and abundant sunshine – more than 300 sunny days each year. But beyond the beach visitors will discover a destination brimming with vibrant culture, natural beauty, and fascinating history, where Spanish, West African, and British influences come together with a uniquely Caribbean twist.
There’s so much to discover in Nassau Paradise Island – from turquoise blue waters and lush beaches to vibrant culture and array of accommodations. Indeed, every moment is precious. So, how to make the most of one’s time in the Bahamian paradise? Here are some insider tips.
“Finally!” our driver declared, musing on the opening of The Fontainebleau Las Vegas last week (Dec. 13), echoing the sentiment of many in the city of the long-delayed and much-anticipated sequel to its glamourous Miami Beach counterpart.
Tourists at the Acropolis can witness the resolution of one of the world’s most heated debates on cultural heritage. All they need is a smartphone to pinch and zoom their way around the ancient Greek site, with a digital overlay showing how it once looked. That includes a collection of sculptures called the Elgin Marbles, removed from the Parthenon more than 200 years ago that are now on display at the British Museum in London and which Greece wants back.
Fewer planes and helicopters will be flying tourists over Mount Rushmore and other US national monuments and parks as new regulations take effect that are intended to protect the serenity of some of the most beloved natural areas in the United States. The air tours have pitted tour operators against visitors frustrated with the noise for decades, but it has come to a head as new management plans are rolled out at nearly two dozen national parks and monuments.
City officials in Bologna are committing €4.3 million ($6.3 million) to shore up the leaning Garisenda tower, one of the so-called Two Towers that look out over the northern Italian city that have provided inspiration over the centuries to painters and poets and a lookout spot during conflicts.
Motivated by crossing items off their to-do lists, travellers will roam the world in 2024, prioritizing authentic, customized experiences in off-the-beaten-path locales, according to a new survey from TRAVELSAVERS Canada, which asked its advisors to forecast the top travel destinations and trends for next year, as well as recommended must-have experiences.
The Bahamas has surpassed eight million visitors this year, a record-breaking achievement that the ministry of tourism attributes to the natural charm of the islands, but also effective tourism strategies of stakeholders, including the ongoing enhancement and regeneration of tourism products such as Nassau’s new cruise port.
With two of the travel industry’s foremost trade shows – WTM London and ITB Berlin – fixed in place, trade members who attend such events eagerly anticipate the rotating roster of US Travel’s signature show, IPW (formerly International Pow Wow), typically set some years in advance.
Visit Orlando, in association with a full delegation of theme park, hotel, transportation and attraction partners, called in Calgary, Toronto and Halifax last week for the tour association’s annual “Orlando Canadian Sunshine Tour,” attracting close to 500 enthusiastic travel advisors across the three events that resulted in record-breaking attendance for the mission.
Fifty of Jamaica’s top-selling travel agents, including 15 Canadian members of the Jamaica Travel Specialist (JTS) program, were honoured by the island’s tourist board last week during the annual One Love Affair gala and incentive trip in Montego Bay.
Ottawa and Quebec have announced their intention to protect the waters near a picturesque territory in the Gulf of St. Lawrence that was recently named a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The governments said they’re taking the first steps toward creating a protected marine park off Anticosti Island.
When the winter gets tough in central Europe the tough get… festive, as age-old Christmas markets spring up across the region to help cast a warm glow over the snow. Among the most famous are markets in Germany, where most of the historic Weihnachtsmarkt/ Christkindlmarkts are now in full swing (most starting in mid to late November and continuing until just before Christmas and in some cases a few days after).
Despite claims of cruelty from opponents, Mexico’s Supreme Court has overturned a ban on bullfighting in Mexico City, opening the way for events to resume. The activity was banned in 2022 when it was ruled that bullfights violated city resident’s rights to a healthy environment free from violence.
The US federal government says it will give more than $6 billion to a pair of high-speed electric rail routes in California – from Los Angeles to both Las Vegas and San Francisco – injecting new life into long-stalled projects hailed by supporters as the future of public transportation but bemoaned by critics for their high price tags and lengthy construction times.
The quiet of Stanley Park’s forests has been splintered as chainsaws roar in a multi-year project to remove about one quarter of the trees that make up what’s considered a Vancouver jewel. On the road to Prospect Point a parking lot that in warmer months would be part of a picnic area, is now a work site where heavy machinery brings in large, cut sections of trees and crushes smaller branches.
Hawaii is ready for Canadians, and other visitors, to return – particularly to Maui, which suffered from devastating wildfires earlier this fall and is still on the road to recovery. But while the Hawaii Tourism Authority acknowledges that while many visitors “respectfully” stayed away from Hawaii in the aftermath of the calamity, the islands are now really ready for their return.
A picturesque panorama of surf, sand, and sunshine, where Caribbean culture and captivating history come together, Nassau Paradise Island is the perfect place to reinvigorate the spirit and reconnect with family, friends, and loved ones. And the Bahamas island is connected to Canada with convenient, non-stop flights, meaning less time travelling and more time enjoying the white-sand beaches, warm coastal waters, and welcoming resort communities.
Nassau Paradise Island’s stunning white sand beaches, cerulean blue waters, and Bahamian hospitality are the epitome of a calming, paradisiacal escape – ideal for a relaxing getaway. If it’s a laid-back, luxurious vacation you’re after, the Bahamas has all you need and more. From start to finish, here is everything required for a perfectly relaxing Bahamian getaway.
Life is sweet while the sun is hanging high in the sky over the Bahamas, but when the moon starts to peak out over the horizon and the clear blue sky turns inky indigo, it’s time to bust out the dancing shoes and dinner attire and party late into the night. Visitors to Nassau Paradise Island can easily turn a relaxing day on the beach into a heart-pumping evening in Paradise. From nightclubs to casino floors, a night out in The Bahamas is not one to skip out on.
Aimed at promoting the Southeast European and Balkans – dubbed ‘the last exotic part of Europe” – and increasing tourism from North America, the New Deal Europe Virtual Marketplace will take place Dec. 12 and 13. Co-funded by the European Union, the event is the largest travel trade event focussed solely on the region.
In the weeks leading up to Christmas, Québec is truly an enchanting destination bursting with colourful and illuminated events and markets to ring in the most wonderful time of the year. Here are just a few suggestions to help make the most of the city for a December retreat that is sure kindle the Christmas spirit.
There’s always an asterisk when tourism recovery numbers are assessed: it doesn’t include China and its massive middle class, which hasn’t yet fully returned to pre-pandemic travel levels. But that’s about to change, not just in the present, but over the next decade, during which the country is poised to become world’s most dominant tourism market.