The UK’s weather forecaster, the Met Office, issued a rare red alert – the highest level of weather warning – for parts of Scotland, predicting “exceptional rainfall” Thursday and Friday,
as much of northern Europe braced for stormy weather, heavy rain, and gale-force winds from the east.
As 2023 nears an end and 2024 optimistically appears on the horizon, many Canadians have emotionally checked out of the news agenda and events at home in order to take a much-needed breather. Where in years past travel has been a means to escape life, new research shows that travel is life with three quarters (74%) of Canadian travellers revealing that they feel more alive than ever when they are on vacation, and 64% wanting to be more like their vacation self in their day-to-day life back home.
With Air Canada flights starting this winter and a new Sandals resort set to open in the spring, there’s a buzz about Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, an idyllic Caribbean destination that has flown under the radar from Canada somewhat in the past, but is poised for major growth from this market, and elsewhere.
Australia’s iconic Sydney Opera House (SOH) is celebrating its 50th anniversary this weekend (Oct. 21-22). Following a month-long celebration of special events, the iconic 22-storey structure overlooking Sydney Harbour is embarking on a “decade of renewal,” with extensive plans and ambitious global goals set for the future, spanning restoration, sustainability, accessibility, environmental, Indigenous heritage, economic, and educational sectors.
Sick of the rush and crush when boarding a plane? United Airlines says that it will start boarding passengers in economy class with window seats first effective Oct. 26, a move it says will speed up boarding times for flights. The plan, known as WILMA – for window, middle and aisle – was tested at four domestic locations and one hub and was deemed to shave up to two minutes of boarding time.
Paying homage to the age of tall ships, with more than 44,000 square feet of sails that are unfurled by hand, the new 136-guest Sea Cloud Spirit combines a romantic windjammer atmosphere with the most modern comforts. The newly built three-masted ship follows the role model of her two classic wind-jammer sisters, the Sea Cloud and the Sea Cloud II while offering a generous number of cabins with balconies.
In 2010, the Sydney Opera House embarked on a project to record the Nick Cave (and the Bad Seeds) indie classic “The Ship Song” as a tribute – and anthem – to the famous Australian landmark and cultural cathedral.
Our apologies to our readers. We have just spent two days fixing a hack that prevented us from delivering the news to you. What do these people get from doing this? Our site contains nothing that would be of use to a hacker – unless they really really need to understand travel and tourism. Perhaps they do. Anyway, we’re glad to be back and we hope you are too.
The Palace of Versailles and three airports in cities across France were evacuated and temporarily closed Wednesday, the latest in a spate of evacuations in the past five days around France. The former royal chateau of Versailles apologized to visitors for forcing them to evacuate from the sumptuous 17th-century palace “for security reasons.”
Canada and Quebec have launched an RFP for the High Frequency Rail project, which will be the largest Canadian infrastructure project in generations. Once operational, the “transformational” rail line will span the Québec City to Toronto corridor with dedicated passenger tracks.
Do your clients want to know more about Britain? VisitBritain is set to host a series of travel agent workshops in four Ontario cities this November. And yes, they promise, a cuppa tea and treats will be on hand.
Starting Dec. 16, English Canada will at last have direct access to Martinique – previously the preserve of French Canadians (or those traveling through Montreal) alone. The Air Canada service builds on 14 years of flights from YUL and marks the first-ever flights from YYZ to the magnificent Caribbean island, which is an overseas territory of France.
Canada possesses the key factors to place it at the cutting edge of sustainable jet fuel, making it all the more “bizarre” that Canada lags behind the United States and Europe on the green-flying front, says Airbus Canada’s chief executive.
With increased traffic to Virtuoso.com from Canadians resulting in 227% more page views this year over last, the global network specializing in luxury and experiential travel crunched its latest numbers to produce a festive travel trends report that breaks down the travel habits of Canadians heading into the holiday season and into 2024.
To better accommodate the growing Canada-Panama market and to support tourism, the two countries have announced an expanded agreement that will allow airlines to introduce more flight options and routings. Each country’s airlines are now able to operate a total of 14 passenger flights per week, and an unlimited number of all-cargo flights – up from nine flights per week for passenger and/or all-cargo services.
‘Tis the season for FAMs, and Canadian travel advisors have been hitting the road (and air and waves), according, from destinations as remote as Croatia, and as familiar as Kissimmee. Here’s a quick look at some of the journeys undertaken, including agents from CAA, WestWorld Tours, and Voyages en Direct.
Sandals Resorts is expanding its innovative off-site dining program to Nassau, Bahamas. First debuting with the opening of Sandals Royal Curaçao in June 2022, the “Island Inclusive” program celebrates and supports locally owned restaurants by giving select Sandals guests access to some of the destinations’ top dining experiences – all included with their booking.
Philippine Airlines (PAL), the national flag carrier of the Philippines, has launched PAL Holidays, a one-stop travel website that offers a seamless and comprehensive platform for booking travel to the southeast Asian country, and beyond. The new site is now live in Canada and elsewhere.
Acknowledging that there has been some “confusion and speculation” in the travel trade over its recent announcement that it would be mothballing its travel agent booking channel effective Oct. 24, the WestJet has issued a statement aimed at clarifying the situation and its plan to introduce an alternative by early next year.
With the outbreak of violence in Israel and Gaza, the Travel Industry Council of Ontario (TICO) says travel sellers in the province have certain obligations to clients, from issuing travel warnings to possible refunds. To that end, and in light of federal government advisories advising against travelling to region, the provincial regulator has issued a special bulletin designed to answer questions about registrants’ responsibilities under the Travel Industry Act and Ontario Regulation 26/05.
With the launch of year-round flights to Peru in December from Toronto and Montreal, Transat is adding packages, excursions, and à la carte hotels to its offering, making it easier for both clients and travel advisors to book a trip to the South American destination.
Tourism Ireland introduced its new concept “Senses of Ireland” event series earlier this month with a trip to Western Canada. With calls in Calgary, Edmonton, and Vancouver, the events featured eight Irish suppliers intent on taking travel advisors on a “sensory journey through the breathtaking landscapes and rich culture of the island of Ireland” while showcasing their diverse range of products.
Colourful el Día de los Muertos festivities have kicked off in Mexico, leading up to the actual Day of the Dead on Nov. 2, where Mexicans and visitors alike honour departed loved ones and reaffirm the bond between the worlds of the living and dead. Rather than somber, the occasion is joyous and raucous, yet also reflective.
A British judge has ruled in favour of Richard Branson’s Virgin group in its lawsuit against Brightline, the Florida passenger train company that terminated a licensing agreement that would have seen it rebrand as Virgin Trains USA, claiming the Virgin brand was no longer one of “high repute.” Judge Mark Pelling ruled in favour of Virgin Enterprises, which had sued Brightline Holdings for breaching the agreement – a decision. Brightline said it would appeal.
War in Israel resulted in myriad travel disruptions and future itinerary changes – read on for the latest dispatches including Air Canada flights. Also in the round-up: a report forecast room rates rising; Maui began welcoming tourists again (even if few showed up), TICO at last announced the election of its two industry directors, and more WestJet-Sunwing merger news.
As WestJet and Sunwing continue integrating operations, the newly created Sunwing Vacations Group has been designated as the official vacation division of the WestJet Group, encompassing five “powerhouse” brands ¬– Sunwing Vacations, WestJet Vacations, US tour operator Vacation Express, and the Group’s travel retail businesses SellOffVacations.com and Luxe Destination Weddings. Together they form the largest vacations brands in North America, though, notably, each will continue to be marketed independently.
Travel agencies that sell the Holy Land are scrambling to rebook passengers and reroute itineraries as the war sparked by Hamas’s attacks on Israel ramps up. Artzi Korostelev says it’s been all hands on deck at Toronto-based Peerless Travel as customers reschedule trips to Israel into 2024 and employees work the phones 16 hours a day, while new bookings have screeched to a halt.
I am now an official jet setter. I was recently invited to fly from Hamilton, Ont.’s Jetport to Fox Harb’r Resort in Nova Scotia. Our small group boarded the Challenger 605 and sipped mimosas in grand comfort and style until we landed on the resort’s private runway. What a way to go!
As the self-proclaimed “Halloween Vacation Capital” of the world, Orlando continues to offer a host of haunting adventures in theme parks and beyond throughout the spooking season and in some cases, even a bit longer. The central Florida city also has a bounty of fall events to keep visitor entertained, and well-fed.
National Rum Day may be Aug. 16, but every day is rum day in Jamaica, with travellers able to sip the rich, molasses-based liquor all year round courtesy of a host of classic distillers and in a variety of locations – from simple road-side bars to historic sugar plantations.