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CANADA JETLINES REVEALS NEW SUN DESTINATIONS

Canada Jetlines has released an expanded winter flight schedule featuring service between Toronto and Montego Bay, Jamaica, and Orlando – in addition to enhancement to existing services to Cancun and Las Vegas.

ORLANDO TESTS SELF-DRIVING SHUTTLE

There is going to be a new way to get around downtown Orlando, Florida, and it’s not going to require any human drivers. Starting late this month, an electric, self-driving shuttle will whisk passengers around a 1.6 km loop in the downtown area for no charge.

ALASKA, JOURNEYS: Carnival opens more 2025 sailings

With the notion that It’s never too early to plan for an Alaskan adventure, Carnival Cruise Line has unveiled more of its 2025-26 deployment by opening sailings to Alaska from Seattle on two ships: Carnival Spirit and Carnival Luminosa. Several Carnival Journeys cruises aboard the two ships are also open for sale, including a transatlantic

FLORIDA’S WEST COAST BRACES FOR STORM: Tropical Storm Idalia could become a hurricane

Tropical Storm Idalia formed Sunday in the Gulf of Mexico on a potential track to come ashore in the southern US. Forecasters said they expected Idalia to become a hurricane on Tuesday in the Gulf of Mexico and then curve northeast toward the west coast of Florida as a Category 2 hurricane with winds of up to 100 mph (160 kph), according to the latest forecasts Sunday from the Hurricane Center.

U.S. LEADS WORLD TRAVEL RECOVERY

The World Travel & Tourism Council has unveiled new insights into the strong expansion of the US Travel & Tourism sector, which measured by economic contribution and spending by international and domestic visitors, boasted the world’s largest Travel & Tourism sector in 2022.

PORTER PLANS DAILY FLORIDA FLIGHTS THIS FALL

Starting in November, Porter Airlines is launching daily service from Toronto to five Florida destinations: Fort Lauderdale (FLL), Fort Myers (RSW), Miami (MIA), Orlando (MCO), and Tampa (TPA); as well as two destinations – FLL and MCO – from Ottawa.

GOTCHA: Spirit settles class action over bag fees

It was disclosed last week that Spirit Airlines has agreed to pay US $8.25 million to settle a class-action lawsuit over its bag fees. The airline was sued by passengers who booked their trips through third-party travel sites between 2011-17.

IN THE DARK: Cause of Kenya’s longest power outage remains unclear

The longest nationwide power outage in Kenyans’ memory remained a mystery Sunday as the government-owned power company blamed a failure at Africa’s largest wind farm, which laid the responsibility on the power grid instead. Some of Kenya’s more than 50 million people, including in the capital, Nairobi, saw power return almost 24 hours after the massive outage occurred late Friday.

ROUND-UP: Aug. 21-25, 2023

Last week, CATO continued its crusade for industry reform in Ontario; Porter said it will match Air Canada Aeroplan points; Club Med introduced new Ontario reps; and wildfire repercussions continued in Maui and the Okanogan, while the southwestern US dealt with the opposite problem (too much rain).

NEWS UPDATE: ACTA, CATO, TICO AND THE FUND

The recent contentious issues between TICO, ACTA, CATO and the Ontario Government regarding the review of Ontario’s Compensation Fund, which saw ACTA and CATO withdraw their appointees to the TICO does not appear to be lessening in intensity or see the various parties finding a solution. These issues are sure to be front and centre at the ACTA summit on September 14 and the TICO AGM on Sep 26.

NATURAL DISASTER DO’S AND DON’TS WHEN ON HOLIDAY

With thousands of Canadians – and others elsewhere – forced to evacuate, or worse, flee, the world’s most intense wildfire season ever, a travel expert is offering advice to travellers and families caught up in the chaos.

TIK-TALK: This summer’s top trending cities

New data from TikTok’s has revealed this summer’s most hyped cities. And with over a billion hashtag views on the ubiquitous social media app, the most popular travel destination is: Seoul, Korea.

WHEN THE MOON HITS YOUR EYE: Where to see rare total eclipse

Dust off your eclipse glasses: It’s a little over half a year until a total solar eclipse sweeps across North America. On April 8, 2024, the moon will cast its shadow across a stretch of the US, Mexico, and Canada, plunging millions of people into midday darkness.

DIANNE JACKSON STEPS DOWN: Cassandra Jackson new president of Reps4Rent

Dianne Jackson, Founder & Doer of Reps4Rent, has announced her departure from the company she launched in September 2022. In a surprising decision, Jackson expressed immense gratitude for the successful past year, which surpassed her sales targets and ensured a bright future for the company.

PUBS, PATIOS & BARS: 13 lucky places to have a Red Stripe in Jamaica

Red Stripe, Jamaica’s famed beer, is synonymous the island. Its smooth yet zesty taste, served chilled in iconic stubby bottles, reminds drinkers of the genuinely vibrant yet calming spirit of the island and its inhabitants. Moreover, the logo adorns all manner of souvenirs that are carried by tourists to destinations around the world.

AN INSIDE VIEW OF ANCIENT EPHESUS

I’ve toured the fascinating ruins of ancient Ephesus many times on visits that have spanned more than two decades, and each time I’ve been amazed by how many discoveries are still being made regularly. In fact, less than half of the city that eventually became buried after being abandoned nearly 2,000 years ago has actually been uncovered and cataloged. But the work is continuing.

LISTENING IN: A little Coldplay Fix

Earlier this year, Coldplay earned raves for a film release of its sold out 10-night run at run at Buenos Aires’ River Plate stadium at the end of last year. The screening alone sold more than 6 million tickets and attracted rave reviews from fans and critics alike: with The Guardian calling it “genuinely stunning” the New York Post describing it as “a night for the history books,” and the Glasgow Evening Times heralding it as “the greatest show on Earth.”

FRANKLIN DUMPS ON DOMINICAN REPUBLIC, HAITI

Tropical Storm Franklin made landfall Wednesday on the island of Hispaniola shared by the Dominican Republic and Haiti, dumping heavy rains that triggered landslides and flooding in both countries.

‘GROWING PAINS’: But Flair a ‘decent airline’, says CEO

Flair Airlines CEO Stephen Jones says his budget carrier is at last running a smooth operation propelled by high passenger numbers, despite “growing pains” at the debt-laden company that’s still striving to gain consumer confidence.

INTREPID LAUNCHES HAWAII WILDFIRE APPEAL

Intrepid Travel has launched an emergency appeal and committed US$50,000 through their not-for-profit, The Intrepid Foundation, to support immediate relief efforts in Hawaii following the devastating wildfires that devastated Maui earlier this month.

AA SUES TRAVEL WEBSITE OVER ‘SKIPLAGGING’

American Airlines is suing a travel website that sells tickets that let people save money by exploiting a quirk in airline pricing. American sued Skiplagged Inc. in US federal court in Fort Worth, Texas, accusing the website of deception. It threatened to cancel every ticket that Skiplagged has sold.

WHERE TO STAY TO ENJOY THE BEST BEACHES IN CUBA

If there’s one thing Cuba has got down, it’s delivering breathtaking beaches! With over 400 kilometres of pristine shores lining the island, it’s no wonder Canadians love to visit year after year. But, just as important as picking the right beach is finding the right resort to truly get the most out of a vacation.

SYSTEM ‘BROKEN,’ REQUESTS ‘IGNORED’: CATO campaign comes to a head

A “broken system” and “ignored” requests to the province to fix it are behind the Canadian Association of Tour Operators (CATO) campaign for a “more effective and fairer traveller protection system for Ontario’s travel industry,” which is set to come to a head at TICO’s upcoming annual general meeting in September.

‘AS LONG AS IT TAKES’: Biden vows to rebuild Maui

US President Joe Biden told survivors of Hawaii’s wildfires that the nation “grieves with you” and promised that the federal government will help “for as long as it takes” Maui to recover from damage caused by the deadliest US wildfire in more than a century.

ROAD TO PEGGY’S COVE REOPENS

The road to the iconic Nova Scotia tourist destination Peggy’s Cove has reopened after devastating floods last month. It’s welcome news for both visitors and a community hit hard by environmental disasters.

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