Whether travelling by plane, train or automobile, Francophone travellers are struggling to access services in their language, Canada’s official languages commissioner says. And it’s an ongoing struggle that has gotten worse in the last decade, especially as people begin travelling again, says Raymond Theberge
After three years of construction and a cost of $300 million, the reimagined Nassau Cruise Port has opened its doors to cruisers, not only offering enhanced service for cruises to the Bahamas’ capital city, but ushering in a regeneration of the city’s downtown core.
Travel advisors continued to learn, expand, dine, discover, and, of course, sell, in this week’s round-up of Canada’s retail scene.
The Big Easy is enticing at any time of year, but summer is when New Orleans sizzles – and not just from the heat. This year, from June through August, over 20 hotels throughout New Orleans are offering travel advisor rates, which agents can supplement with a VIP pass to make the most of their visit to the Louisiana city.
New Zealand’s national airline is asking passengers to step on the scales before they board international flights. Air New Zealand says it wants to weigh 10,000 passengers during a monthlong survey so pilots can better know the weight and balance of their planes before takeoff.
Blue Diamond Resorts, the Caribbean’s fastest growing hotel company, continues as a favourite among discerning travel critics, wracking up a wealth of prestigious honours and nominations from top media recognizing the appeal of its guest experiences across several brands.
Calling the recent move by some US civil rights groups to issue a “travel advisory” for visitors to Florida a “stunt,” members of the state’s tourism trade are taking exception to the claim that the destination is “openly hostile toward African Americans, people of colour, and LGBTQ+ individuals.”
The pilots union at the country’s biggest airline is opening the gate to bargaining ahead of time – as early as this summer. Air Canada says its pilots group has triggered an option to launch negotiations around a new collective agreement a year early.
Just in time for the summer season, an increase in GO Transit services between Toronto and Niagara Falls has made it easier for visitors to get to the famous Falls, and popular nearby Niagara-on-the-Lake.
The 2023 series of Sandals and Beaches Resorts’ exclusive Canadian Masterclass online sessions continue in June and throughout the summer, designed to inform travel advisors on the all-inclusive chain’s latest developments – including the opening of its new Dunn’s River resort – while offering monthly prize trip opportunities for all attendees.
Lufthansa has signed a deal with the Italian government for a 41 percent minority share in the long-struggling ITA Airways, formerly Alitalia. Lufthansa will also have the option of buying the remaining shares at a later date. Once the deal is completed, ITA Airways would be Lufthansa Group’s fifth carrier.
A Carnival cruise ship that navigated rough seas off the South Carolina coast over the Memorial Day weekend “terrifying” passengers has resumed sailing on its next cruise, the cruise line says
Brian Keaulana is the quintessential Native Hawaiian waterman, well-known for his deep understanding of the ocean, gifted with surfing and lifeguarding skills passed down from his big-wave rider father. Now, as one of the islands’ standard-bearers of surfing, Keaulana wants to further boost the sport in his homeland by building an artificial wave pool – a splashy proposal that is making waves, particularly among some Native Hawaiians.
On a day when a toddler was shot in the head by a stray bullet while playing outside at daycare in Utah – just another day in the life of a country where gun violence has claimed nearly 17,000 lives in the first half of 2023 alone – the US Travel Association gamely tackled the issue of gun violence in America at last week’s IPW travel trade event in San Antonio.
A rocky start to the travel high season in Europe is fuelling fears of a repeat of last summer’s post-pandemic air travel chaos that unleashed delays, cancellations, and mountains of lost luggage from London to Sweden to Amsterdam.
With a lineup of key seasonal sun destinations throughout the Caribbean, Mexico, and Central America, Air Canada Vacations has unveiled its 2023/24 offerings aimed at early planners for the winter season.
Marriott International has launched a new incentive program that enable agents to earn Marriott Bonvoy points on every booking logged with up to 1,000 Marriott Bonvoy points available per room, per night that can be used to redeem points for travel.
Carnival Pride is embarked Sunday on her first sailing of the Europe summer season, sporting the signature Carnival red, white, and blue hull design for the first time, after undergoing extensive enhancements that include bow-to-stern upgrades to enhance accessibility on the ship for guests with disabilities.
Orlando kicks off Pride Month June 1 with the entire month devoted to showcasing “a diverse community that warmly embraces cultures from all backgrounds coming together (and) remaining a welcoming destination for LGBTQ+ visitors.”
A man who opened an emergency exit door during a flight in South Korea was formally arrested Sunday and faces up to 10 years in prison on a charge of violating the aviation security law. During a preliminary questioning, the 33-year-old told investigators that he felt suffocated and tried to get off the plane quickly, according to police.
WestJet pilots are bound for a 24% pay bump over four years under an agreement-in-principle between the company and the union – marking a new standard for labour gains in Canadian aviation, according to one aviation expert.
Declaring the pandemic now endemic, Brand USA, the nation’s destination marketing organization, opened IPW 2023 last week showcasing the country as an unrivalled travel destination that is poised for a historic year in travel.
Travellers arriving in the UK faced long delays Saturday after a technical problem shut electronic border gates at airports across the country for most of the day, forcing everyone to have their passports checked manually on what was expected to be one of the busiest travel weekends of the year.
With “strong interest” already brewing for next winter, Air Canada has released its winter 2023-24 schedule, featuring nearly 10 percent capacity over its 2019 pre-pandemic high water mark.
‘Sun Week’ at Sunwing is back – a week-long extravaganza of big deals, big contests, and an even bigger grand prize. Kicking off today (May 29), travel agents can book their clients’ summer getaways with savings up to 50 percent while also earning the chance to win prizes themselves.
When Oceania Cruises launched Vista in this month, the cruise line set a new global standard for the upper-premium category of cruise ships. Designed with evolutionary style concepts and substantial luxe elements, the 1,200-passenger Vista – Oceania’s first new build in over a decade, and first of the Allura class vessels – approaches the luxury level of sister brand Regent Seven Seas Cruises. Both are owned by Miami-based Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd.
Last week, there was good news for Canadian trusted travellers; two Canadian carriers boosted their codeshare; Sandals unveiled its newest resort; there were flash sales galore; and Allianz stepped up – again – for Dreams Take Flight.
From a boat-float parade along its famous River Walk to a closing night gala at The Alamo, delegates will long remember this year’s IPW in San Antonio as US travel officially emerged from the pandemic.
Air Canada briefly grounded its planes Thursday due to a problem with its computer system. The airline said a technical issue with the system it uses to transmit messages to aircraft and monitor their performance, prompted a halt to operations.
The all-new Sandals Dunn’s River has opened to guests as the 17th resort in the Sandals Resorts portfolio. Having debuted over 30 years ago, the 260-room Ocho Rios property is “utterly transformed” – except for the stunning stretch of white sand beach it inhabits.