Pent-up demand post COVID, traveller trends towards FIT travel, and industry sustainability have come together to create a “perfect storm” for the growth of train travel, says the CEO and co-owner of Railbookers, a rail tour operator that packages train tickets with all the land elements of a holiday, including hotels and sightseeing.
The Bahamas recorded more than 5.89 million arrivals from January through the end of July, putting the country well on the way to closing out the year at 8 million-plus visitors, reports the country’s ministry of tourism. Canada ranked as the destination’s second largest market after the US, and ahead of the UK/Europe.
Who better to highlight and symbolize G Adventures’ first community tourism summit than The Village People? The group will give a private performance for delegates at the event, which is being conducted by the Canadian-based tour company in Peru on World Tourism Day, Sept. 27.
China’s Great Wall has been pierced by Genghis Khan, the Manchus, and now, allegedly, a couple of construction workers named Zheng and Wang who wanted a shortcut. Authorities in China arrested two people for smashing a path through a section of the ancient wall, a cultural icon and United Nations protected heritage site.
In last week’s news, Transat posted a record third quarter, Air Canada paid back some government debt, Britain looked ahead to record visitation numbers from Canada, Sunwing unveiled its annual ‘Best of the Best List,’ and ACTA revealed a long-discussed name change.
Canadians are still eager to travel to sun resorts and European getaways, in spite of higher inflation and interest rates, says Transat AT Inc. chief executive Annick Guerard. On Thursday Transat reported its highest net income ever for a third quarter and turned a profit for the first time since 2019, prompting a brighter financial forecast for the year.
My husband and I are self-proclaimed adventurers, a spirited Canadian couple with an insatiable desire to live life to the fullest. As such, we embarked on an epic yearlong travel quest around the world with our newborn son and ten-year-old daughter. I thought we were prepared for whatever might come our way. We were not.
With a recent survey suggesting that that almost 85% of travellers are worried about being hacked while travelling, cybersecurity experts say that those risks increase drastically for those who share too much information about their vacation online.
Sunwing Vacations’ popular ‘Best of the Best List’ is back. Based on a combination of travel expert recommendations, star ratings and customer feedback, the list is meant to serve as an “MVP of vacation inspiration” for customers and agents, and returns for its third year.
A picture is worth a thousand words but expecting that from all your social media creative would be unfair. Sometimes a smart caption is just what’s needed to amplify the creative or showcase useful links, insights, or additional information. Here are some tips for writing standout captions.
I’m not sure how far the gospel of Iron & Wine has spread, but Sam Beam (aka I&W) is surely something special and if you haven’t had the pleasure, please accept this introduction. The American singer-songwriter, who hails from the Carolinas, has drawn comparisons to Simon and Garfunkel and Neil Young (at least his softer side), but strikes me more in the Jack Johnson/Ben Harper mold.
The CEO of WestJet says the company is non-partisan and will revisit its policy after the airline faced backlash for allowing Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre to speak on the PA system on a recent flight. The union representing WestJet cabin crew demanded an apology from the airline over the incident. However, speaking in Vancouver Thursday, Poilievre says he was asked multiple times by the cabin crew to speak and the Union should be the one apologizing.
A fishing vessel owned by Greenland’s government was hoping to use a high tide to pull free the Ocean Explorer cruise ship, which ran aground in the world’s northernmost national park Monday. The ship is carrying 206 people, who were all reported fine and having a “lifetime experience,” according to Capt. Flemming Madsen of the Danish Joint Arctic Command.
SWISS is set to expand its route network in its 2024 summer schedules, adding two new long-haul destinations – including Toronto – to be served from Zurich. Its intercontinental network will also see the addition of Washington, DC, while its European network will feature new services to Košice in Slovakia and Cluj-Napoca in Romania.
The Travel Industry Council of Ontario says it will launch a broad and comprehensive consultation process with registrants and stakeholders in the coming weeks about its funding framework and fee model proposals, including the Compensation Fund.
Jamaica is having its best year ever in visitors arrivals, according to Jamaica’s tourism minister. Edmund Bartlett’s enthusiasm was shared as the island’s tourism sector celebrated the return of JAPEX, its first major travel tradeshow post-pandemic.
South Florida rail service Brightline has announced that its extension to Orlando International Airport will begin on Sept. 22. Passengers will be able to connect from/to Miami, Aventura, Fort Lauderdale, Boca Raton, and West Palm Beach.
Scott Beck leaving his post as President and CEO of Destination Toronto and heading south to take over a similar role with the San Francisco Travel Association. The move takes effect Oct. 28.
Canadian pilots are demanding better wages and benefits from their employers, raising financial pressure on airlines that are just starting to recover from the pandemic and creating “really tricky” conditions to keep them flying south for more lucrative jobs.
Beginning Dec. 15, WestJet, will again connect Kelowna, BC, and Las Vegas, reintroducing a popular transborder connection from the Okanagan, for the first time since 2020. The non-stop service will operate twice weekly.
With COVID-19 largely in the rearview mirror, Bermuda tourism is back in Canada, rectifying a state of enforced neglect caused by the global pandemic. To that end, a delegation of representatives from the island, led by newly appointed Bermuda Tourism Authority (BTA) CEO Tracy Berkeley and VP of Sales and Development Devin Lewis, visited Toronto recently for a series of meetings with the trade, including a gala industry event at the Hotel X.
The Cuba Tourist Board in Canada is offering travel advisors the opportunity to take part in two special FAM group trips to the destination that will take place in October.
Following the recent appointment of Nathalie Tanious’ as President & Chief Executive Officer, H.I.S.-Red Label Vacations Inc. (RLV) has announced a further series of executive promotions.
Air Canada says it has repaid about $589 million in debt that it used to buy aircraft. The company says it repaid a $462-million loan from Canada’s Export Development Corp. that it used to pay for the purchase of 14 Airbus A220-300 aircraft.
Two new travel guides have been released by British tourism travel organizations with the aim of helping the trade plan and book travel to the UK by receiving information from and directly connecting with local suppliers. The guides – from England’s Historic Cities and the Great West Way – are excellent resources to destinations across Britain and can be accessed online.
Canadian arrivals into Britain are poised to set an all-time record this year. And with an expected 944,000 visitors from this country forecast to find their way to Old Blighty – significantly more than not only 2019 (874k), but also the previous high-water mark in 2017 (911k) – VisitBritain officials are eyeing the magic million mark in 2024.
MGM Resorts said in a statement Monday that it had “recently identified a cybersecurity issue affecting some of the Company’s systems.” The issue was not described, but the statement said efforts to protect data included “shutting down certain systems.” It said the investigation was continuing. By Monday evening, the websites for all MGM Resorts International were offline with only a post offering telephone contacts for the various resorts’ locations.
Last month, an alarming prospect dawned on Ben Birstonas ahead of a $14,000 all-inclusive getaway planned with his family for Bermuda. “As we’re approaching the departure date, we hear about hurricane Franklin,” recalled the 58-year-old information technology consultant in a phone interview.
A post-pandemic surge in car traffic at Montreal-Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport this summer has led to frustration, confusion, and desperation. The city’s public transit authority has scrambled to find detours for the airport shuttle, and the company that manages the site has opened more free parking and added traffic-control staff. So far, it appears nothing has worked to ease the bottlenecks.
Airbnb has stopped accepting some reservations in New York City after new regulations on short-term rentals went into effect – leading to big changes for travellers hoping to avoid the high cost of a Big Apple hotel.