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.
Cape Town Tourism has launched “Limitless Cape Town,” a first-of-its-kind universal access movement designed to make the city more inclusive to all individuals, giving them equal opportunity and access to the region’s tourism environment, regardless of their social class, ethnicity, or physical disabilities.
The Tourism Industry Association of Canada (TIAC) has announced its Canadian Tourism Awards winners for 2023. The honours recognize outstanding achievements in the tourism sector and aim to showcase the dedication, innovation, and excellence of individuals and organizations that contribute significantly to the growth and success of the Canadian tourism industry. Sponsors included WestJet, Air Canada, Air Transat, VIA, and Hilton.
Florida has set a visitations record in the third quarter of 2023, with an estimated total of 35.1 million people arriving in the Sunshine State between July and September 2023. Visitations were comprised of 32.2 million domestic visitors, 2.2 million overseas travellers and 666,000 Canadians. Additionally, Florida continues to beat overall annual visitation records with 105.2 million visitors so far in 2023, 724,000 more than the first nine months of 2022.
A new marine centre will be built by MSC Cruises on its Ocean Cay marine reserve in the Bahamas, along additional new environmental infrastructure, plus amenities for passengers, as the company continues its transformation of the site.
Antigua is known for its 365 beaches – one for each day of the year, they say. As such there is no shortage of hotels and resorts on the island, and neighbouring Barbuda, where visitors can spread out their beach towels or find a shady spot under a sun umbrella. Here is some of the latest news from the islands’ accommodation sector heading into a new winter season.
Despite concerns over the war in neighbouring Israel-Gaza, Egypt’s tourism and antiquities minister believes the middle eastern country is just scratching the surface of its tourism potential. Ahmed Issa that his country is poised to reach 15 million visitors this year, having already posted record numbers in the first half of the year.
Venice authorities on Thursday unveiled a pilot program to charge day-trippers 5 euros ($7.45) apiece to enter the fragile lagoon city on peak weekends next year in an effort to reduce crowds, encourage longer visits and improve the quality of life for residents.
A T-shirt or trinket just isn’t enough to encapsulate a visit to Aruba, believes the island’s board authority. With this in mind, the Aruba Tourism Authority (ATA) is introducing the “Tattoovenir,” a free souvenir designed to be a permanent reminder of one’s holiday on the southern Caribbean island.
The way Valerie Damaseau sees it, the reason for her recent visit to Canada was simple: “To bring some sunshine into your lives!” And while she may have been speaking hypothetically, as president of the tourist office of sunny St. Martin, it didn’t seem out of the realm of possibility.
With tourism to this country projected to grow significantly in the coming years, the federal government has launched an investment program that will provide $108 million over the next three years to support tourism projects across the country to help meet the goal of attracting 40% more visitors by the end of the decade.
With its latest launches to Florida over the weekend, low-cast Lynx says it is well on its way to its goal of offering nearly 10,000 seats in and out of the Sunshine State per week by December. On Saturday, the carrier took flight from Vancouver to Orlando, while on Friday Tampa service began from Montreal.
The Jamaica Tourist Board (JTB) recently brought the spirit of the island to Canadian travel advisors and consumers during Canada Trade Week – a cross-country promotional campaign that included travel agent engagement events in Calgary, Montreal, and Toronto, followed by the first-ever Jamaica Travel Expo consumer event at the Pearson Convention Centre in Toronto.
Most major travel markets in the Americas – including Canada – have recovered from the pandemic, apart from the US which is due to get back to 2019 levels next year, according to new research conducted by World Travel Market.
The Cuba Tourist Board thanked its agent partners for helping make Canada the country’s No. 1 market at a gala event late last week at Toronto’s Palais Royale – a glittering venue that Canadian tourist board director Lessner Gomez likened to Havana’s famed Tropicana cabaret, even if the weather outside wasn’t quite the same as on the Caribbean island.
As it battles Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and his appointees over their takeover of the district that governs the entertainment company’s massive theme park resort in central Florida, Disney has released a study that shows its economic impact in the state amounting to just over US$40 billion.
Jamaica’s hotel boom continues with the official opening of Hideaway at Royalton Blue Waters, An Autograph Collection All-Inclusive Resort, an adults-only resort located in the heart of Montego Bay.
The Dutch government says it has abandoned, for now, plans to rein in flights at Amsterdam’s busy Schiphol Airport following protests from countries including the United States and warnings that the move could breach European law and aviation agreements.
‘No jacket, no tie, no attitude,’ might well be the motto for unpretentious Mazatlan’s terrific beach, bar and culture scene. Sometimes, when planning your holidays, you have to make a decision: sun and sand or culture and history? Mazatlan has the distinction of offering the best of both worlds.
Tourisme Montréal reports that its summer season surpassed it pre-pandemic performance in 2019, with an increase of 15% in international visitations. Among the positive trends was an average hotel occupancy rate of 80% and overall revenues higher than those of 2022. Business conferences were also on the upswing with major events experiencing an in-person participation rate of 72%, 2% more than last year.