News

Effective February 01, the Travel Industry Council of Ontario (TICO) reduced the required rewrite wait times for the Travel Counsellor and Supervisor/Manager exams. TICO has also charged Elite Encounters and Adventures Inc., Dwayne Pogue and Stefanie Landriault with one count of operating as a travel agent without being registered.

Thousands of schools in the UK closed some or all of their classrooms, train services were paralyzed and delays were expected at airports on the biggest day of industrial action Britain has seen in more than a decade, as unions stepped up pressure on the government Wednesday to provide better pay amid a cost-of-living crisis.

As Dominica continues to celebrate two months of Carnival, or “Mas An Lawi,” with an authentic display of revelry, freedom, and culture with tasteful nods to the West African and Creole roots of the island, the island’s tourism office is reporting a significant increase in 2022 tourism arrival numbers, while projecting even stronger growth in 2023.

Thailand has ushered in a new age of train travel as Southeast Asia’s biggest railway station officially began operations this month. The government says the huge, modern development on the edge of central Bangkok will bolster the country’s position as a regional hub and boost its economy.

The US Department of the Interior has given new names to five places that previously included a racist term for a Native American woman. The renamed sites are in California, North Dakota, Tennessee, and Texas, completing a year-long process to remove the historically offensive word “squaw” from geographic names across the country.

British Columbia is introducing a policy of decriminalization on Tuesday as part of what it says is an overall plan to prevent overdose deaths from illicit drugs. The pilot project will continue until Jan. 31, 2026, after a federal exemption from the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act.

The Ponte Vecchio, a beautiful centuries-old bridge spanning the Arno River in the Italian city of Florence, is best viewed on foot, with crowds of tourists regularly thronging the pedestrianized structure to view its ancient stonework.

Residents of the Mexican resort of Cancun hoped people would boycott medallion taxis Friday, after a week of blockades and violent incidents by drivers protesting the ride-hailing app Uber. Road blockades, stone throwing and cabbies physically preventing tourists from boarding Uber vehicles drew a U.S. travel advisory Monday, noting “past disputes between these services and local taxi unions have occasionally turned violent, resulting in injuries to U.S. citizens in some instances.”

Channelling the hope and promise of the New Year, CheapOair.ca has looked into its crystal ball to share some of the top trends that Canadian travellers – and those who book them – need to be aware of.