Lisa Pierce, a figure synonymous with Air Canada for nearly four decades, has announced her retirement at the end of the year. Currently VP of Global Sales, the popular Pierce has held a variety of positions with the airline during her lengthy tenure. She will be replaced by François Choquette, who is currently Managing Director, Revenue Management.
Friends and colleagues of Casey Canevari are being invited by Discover America Canada to an event honouring the memory of the late Brand USA Director of Global Trade Development (Canada). The DAC’s annual holiday season gathering in Toronto, dedicated to Canevari, takes place on Thursday (Dec. 4) and will raise funds for his family.
News nuggets, airlines, hotels/resorts, cruising, tours, events, FAMS/incentives, deals, destinations and more are covered in our weekly round-up of travel industry news you may have missed.
The Dominican Republic has authorized the arrival of 800 new flights to accommodate a surge in tourists who were originally planning to vacation in Jamaica and other nearby islands but were rerouted following the devastation of Hurricane Melissa. And potential visitors have been warned prices are going up in the destination because of it.
Christmas has come early, literally, for close to 120 Canadian travel advisors who are currently sailing the Rhine on ACTA’s 3rd annual European River Cruise Summit – an Avalon Waterways roundtrip cruise from Basel, Switzerland, calling in many of the fabulous Christmas markets of Europe.
Black Friday is here – one of the biggest shopping days of the year (including travel). To help sort the myriad supplier deals available for the day, many of which extend into next week (Cyber Monday, Travel Tuesday, and beyond), here’s our final version of a continually growing list. Among the new entries since last posted are Sunwing, TravelBrands, Transat, Rocky Mountaineer, Booking.com, IHG Hotels & Resorts, Viva Resorts, Amtrak Vacations, Club Med, and many more.
In the wake of Hurricane Melissa’s devastating impact, Air Canada Vacations has announced a special humanitarian initiative launching on ‘Giving Tuesday’ to support recovery efforts in affected communities across Jamaica.
The U.S. National Park Service says it is going to start charging the millions of international tourists who visit U.S. parks each year an extra $100 to enter some of the most popular sites, while leaving them out of fee-free days that will be reserved for American residents. The fee change will impact 11 national parks, including the Grand Canyon, Yellowstone and Yosemite, according to the U.S. Department of the Interior.
Porter Airlines launched inaugural roundtrip service yesterday between Toronto Pearson International Airport and Nassau, The Bahamas. Seasonal service to Nassau increases to daily flights beginning Dec. 12, while nonstop service from Ottawa begins on Dec. 13, and Montreal on Feb. 5.
By Michael Baginski/ It’s safe to say that many hotel renovations often come to fruition well after expected. That’s not the case with the Grand Sunset Princess in Riviera Maya, Mexico, a family-friendly, five-star all-inclusive that re-opened Nov. 1, well ahead of its advertised Dec. 20 timeframe.
By Robin Lawther/ Travel is one of the most meaningful investments a person can make. Whether it’s a quick weekend getaway, honeymoon, business trip, or once-in-a-lifetime journey, travellers expect their experiences to be seamless. And travel advisors are the guardians of these investments. But the industry knows all too well that even the best-planned itinerary can unravel in an instant.
Volcanic activity in northern Ethiopia’s long-dormant Hayli Gubbi volcano has subsided, days after an eruption that left a trail of destruction in nearby villages and caused flight cancellations after ash plumes disrupted high-altitude flight paths.
Amidst worries that foreign fans who will require visas to visit the U.S. next year for the World Cup will have trouble getting them in time – or at all – the Trump administration has announced a new initiative to expedite the process.
After a year of economic uncertainty and geopolitical tensions, Canadians are ready to travel again, according to Allianz Global Assistance Canada, which recently conducted its annual Winter Vacation Confidence Study – a survey that reveals that nearly half of Canadians (46%) are confident they will take a winter vacation this year.
Air Canada has announced a further expansion of its Summer 2026 global schedule to Europe with new destinations from Toronto and particularly Montréal, plus a new European route from Halifax. The additions further the airline’s international growth and give the carrier North America’s second largest transatlantic network by destination.
In response to an increase in mosquito-transmitted diseases across the Americas and the Caribbean, Cuba has strengthened its public health protocols, specifically working with the tourism sector to enact proactive measures to ensure visitors safety, says the country’s tourist board.
This week: The Travel Agent Next Door honoured three key contributors, TRAVELSAVERS Canada makes two key appointments, AIC Hotel Group “rapped” up its annual Showstoppers Awards event, Transat Distribution makes a case for travel agents; and Nexion named its top performing Canadian advisor.
With three resorts now open, RIU Hotels & Resorts says all seven of its hotels in Jamaica will resume service before the end of the year overcoming the crisis caused by the passage of Hurricane Melissa.
Travel industry veteran Nicole Bursey (best known for her tenure at Transat) has been named Head of Canada Agency Sales for Project Expedition an online platform for discovering and booking tours, activities, shore excursions, private transfers, multi-day itineraries, and tailor-made services in destinations around the world.
A new look and feel Rouge product will be welcomed by travellers as Air Canada embarks on what the company calls its “most comprehensive” cabin renewal program ever. The refit will also extend to the mainline fleet and Air Canada Express (Jazz) with the multi-year investment earmarked to include new interiors, next-gen technology, and details that reflect the input of both customers and.
Sabre has launched SabreMosaic Concierge IQ for airlines, an all-in-one generative AI chat solution that helps travellers plan, book, and manage trips in one seamless conversation. Moreover, according to the travel technology giant, it does so with the “same empathy and judgement as a skilled human agent” while accomplishing what otherwise would be hours-long work in seconds.
With Black Friday here (Nov. 28), global travel app Skyscanner has released new insights into Canadian travel patterns and pricing for one of travel’s busiest savings periods of the year. This year’s analysis uncovers destinations with the most significant flight price drops.
By Michael Baginski/ As Dominica’s game-changing cable car – the longest detachable cable car in the world at 6.6 km. – prepares to open in December, the Caribbean island continues to aim high when it comes to tourism and punch above its weight with respect to its tiny size.
Traditional Christmas markets opened across Germany on Monday, drawing revellers to their wooden stands with mulled wine, grilled sausages, potato pancakes or caramelized apples. And with memories of two deadly attacks on Christmas markets still fresh for many Germans, amid increased security.
Starting today (Nov. 25) first checked bags are free with Sunwing Vacations all-inclusive package bookings. Following feedback from travel partners and customers, the tour company says it is including the amenity, plus one free carry-on bag per person, on both new and existing bookings.
WestJet led North American airlines in on-time performance in October, according to respected aviation firm Cirium. And with Air Canada ranking third in the region, it was the first time in months that two Canadian carriers ranked among the top three (Delta was second).
The Jamaica Tourist Board (JTB) is inviting the trade – and all Jamaica lovers – to a special benefit concert in support of recovery efforts following Hurricane Melissa in Toronto on Dec. 10. The event, which promises to bring tother “music, community, and passion” to assist those affected by the hurricane will take place at the Meridien Arts Centre in North York, starting at 7 p.m. with a reception to follow.
By Michael Baginski/ I went to a travel presentation and a dance party broke out. But that was sort of the point, Viva by Wyndham Resorts VP of sales and marketing Amanda Santana told close to 125 travel advisors at the Sunwing Vacations-organized lunch event north of Toronto on Friday. “I’m not here to give a big presentation, you have to dance,” she laughed.
A new interline agreement between Air Transat and Turkish Airlines is now in effect, the airlines have announced. The partnership enables travellers to book itineraries combining flights from both airlines, enhancing connectivity between Canada and Türkiye, and key destinations across Europe, Asia, and the Middle East.
International airlines increasingly cancelled flights to Venezuela on Sunday after t he U.S. Federal Aviation Administration warned pilots to use caution when flying in the country’s airspace because of worsening security and heightened military activity.