ROUND-UP: Jan. 26-29, 2023
Protests and pilots were in the news last week, while CATO called for consumer contributions to the Ontario Compensation Fund. Jamaica was jammin’ over its new numbers, and Porter introduced a new loyalty program…
Protests and pilots were in the news last week, while CATO called for consumer contributions to the Ontario Compensation Fund. Jamaica was jammin’ over its new numbers, and Porter introduced a new loyalty program…
The Walt Disney Company marks its 100th anniversary this year and the Disneyland Resort will commemorate the milestone with new experiences, entertainment and more throughout 2023. Disney100 will celebrate our incredible storytellers and creators, along with the fans and families who’ve brought us into their hearts, as they together spark the magic and wonder of Disney. This celebration honours the journey we’ve been on and the memories we’ve created together, and it will bring new experiences with our beloved characters along with heartwarming new stories.
TRON Lightcycle / Run presented by Enterprise officially opens April 4 at Magic Kingdom Park!
The story of TRON Lightcycle / Run picks up after “TRON: Legacy” where Kevin’s son, Sam Flynn, has opened a second gateway into a digital world called the Grid. The first portal was built at Shanghai Disneyland with the original TRON Lightcycle Power Run.
For 25 years, Disney Cruise Line has set a course for magical vacations at sea. On the way to dazzling destinations in the Caribbean, Alaska and Europe, you can play the day away with some favourite Disney Characters, enjoy Broadway-style shows, relax in adult-exclusive spaces and venture into incredible kids’ clubs. Plus, with special limited-time entertainment, themed offerings and more, this summer’s 25th anniversary celebration is sure to be shining, shimmering and splendid!
The CEO of Via Rail says the Crown corporation “will not shy away from our responsibilities” after passengers found themselves stranded on trains for hours over the holidays. Martin Landry, the railway’s interim president, told a parliamentary committee that Via fell short on communicating with passengers who experienced widespread delays between Dec. 23 and 26 after a winter storm swept across Ontario and Quebec.
The Andaz Maui at Wailea Resort, a Hyatt resort on 15 beachfront acres in Hawaii offers multiple pools, including a lagoon and three infinity pools. As part of the resort fee, guests can also take a stand-up paddleboarding course, use the resort’s snorkel equipment and GoPro action camera and maybe even learn ukulele, hula or mixology.
There’s a museum for almost everything it seems, so it’s of little surprise that automobile aficionados can get their hearts racing at a Kentucky venue dedicated to North America’s first sports car, the Corvette.
Despite the island’s growing popularity amongst tourists and continued strong investment interest in hotels and attractions, the Dutch Antillean nation of Curaçao is not resting on the laurels of its post-pandemic success.
Archaeologists in Norway have found a runestone that they claim is the world’s oldest, saying the inscriptions are up to 2,000 years old and date back to the earliest days of the enigmatic history of runic writing.
In the land of Fidel and Che, a venue based on the memory of John, Paul, George, and Ringo certainly comes as a surprise. Nevertheless, The Beatles Bar Varadero is one of the Cuban beach resort’s most popular hangouts, drawing crowds nightly for live music and mojitos under the stars – or more accurately, under leafy trees on a patio.
At every port on a cruise in the United Arab Emirates, it’s obvious that each of the Arab sheikdoms are playing top this with their newly built soaring skylines, their supersized yachts and their over-the-top palaces.
Fred J. Eaglesmith is a national treasure, but disappointingly one whose unique singing and songwriting talents may be better known amongst his peers than many Canadians, save a legion of “Fredheads” like myself who have found him somewhere along a dusty, county road during his rather under-the-radar 40-year career.
Not unlike the Seinfeld episode where George and Jerry pitch a TV show about “nothing” – new research from Expedia reveals the typically over-scheduled end-of-year holiday season has prompted many Canadians to plan a “nothing-cation,” where only warm weather and relaxation are the main attractions.
Sunwing issued an official statement yesterday which was sent to the Association of Canadian Travel Agencies (ACTA) after a meeting with the Travel Agency Leaders Advisory Group. The statement addressed the recent travel disruptions and impact on travel advisors, and outlined the company’s plan moving forward for the winter season.
Just how easy is it for Canadian travellers to get to Sandals Emerald Bay in the Bahamas? Well, according to Jeremy Mutton, the resort’s General Manager, his guests can “have breakfast in Toronto and lunch in Great Exuma”. With Air Canada Vacations’ exclusive seasonal weekly direct service between Toronto and Great Exuma (with 51 connections across Canada) now through April 30, 2023, there’s no time like the present to recommend this stunning destination to your clients.
Berlin Airport cancelled all its flights Wednesday after ground staff went on strike to press their demands for higher pay. The walk-out affected about 300 flights to and from the German capital.
With over 700 islands and cays, The Bahamas offers something for everyone. For those clients seeking the perfect blend of seclusion and sophistication, the Exuma Cays definitely fit the bill. The Exumas are famous for their sapphire-blue waters – waters so spectacular that the vibrant colours are even visible from outer space. This chain of 365 islands is home to secluded beaches, isolated cays and luxurious resorts.
This year’s Global Tourism Film Festival is rolling out the red carpet for travel professionals who wish to attend the event, taking place in North Bay, Ont. April 27-30.
Great golf starts in the Caribbean, where 132 professionals swung into The Bahamas Great Exuma Classic at Sandals Emerald Bay, hosted January 15-18. This year’s PGA TOUR-sanctioned event marked the sixth year Sandals Resorts has hosted the Korn Ferry Tour Season Opener, the first stop for players competing for one of 30 coveted cards on “The Path to the PGA TOUR” in 2023.
FLIGHT Centre Travel Group (FLT) senior executive Greg Parker will succeed Melanie Waters-Ryan as the chief executive officer of the company’s global supply division. Parker, currently FLT’s managing director of global supply partnerships, and Waters-Ryan will continue to work closely to ensure a smooth transition when Waters-Ryan retires early in the 2024 fiscal year.
Just what is going on with the shortage of pilots in Canada? Federal officials assessing training programs have concluded major changes are needed to address the ever increasing problem. In fact, this is not just a Canadian issue. The US aviation industry is also dealing with a shortage of pilots and other workers, outdated technology, and strain on the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), which manages the nation’s airspace.
Uber drivers and their clients were targeted by disgruntled taxi drivers Monday in in Cancun and Mexico’s surrounding resort-studded Caribbean coast, prompting the US State Department to issue a travel advisory for the region.
Data from the non-profit Angus Reid Institute finds a majority of Canadians supportive of testing requirements for travellers coming from China, but are nevertheless unsure if it will be effective at reducing the spread of COVID-19 in their country.
A US federal judge has ordered Boeing Co. to be arraigned on a felony charge stemming from crashes of two 737 Max jets, a ruling that threatens to unravel an agreement Boeing negotiated to avoid prosecution.
Through the end of April, G Adventures’ annual “G-Normous” incentive program will continue to give agents the chance to win with every trip they book. In addition to the $10,000 grand prize, trip giveaways, bonus commission, plus monthly and even weekly cash prizes totalling $75,000 will be awarded and all agents need to do is make bookings.
Travel is flying the flag for LGBT+ causes but more needs to be done, said an expert panel at the recent WTM London trade show, with participants urging the industry to take a stand.
Carnival Cruise Line’s annual ‘Amp Up Commission Challenge’ continues to off travel advisors the opportunity to qualify for higher commission rates in 2023. Through the program, agents will be able to increase their commissions up to 15 percent for the full 2023 year based on bookings made from Jan. 1 through March 31, 2023.
A major new report by World Travel & Tourism Council reveals a heightened appetite for sustainable tourism amongst consumers, with 69% of travellers actively seeking sustainable travel options.
Led by nearly 40% growth from the Canadian market, Jamaica is “leapfrogging” previous forecasts and on track to achieve 11% growth this year. Announced at the FITUR travel fair in Madrid, Spain, tourism minister Edmund Bartlett, declared: “Jamaica’s tourism is back!”
Over 400 visitors were stranded in Machu Picchu on Saturday when Peru’s government shut the famed ancient ruins indefinitely in the wake of anti-government protests that are increasingly engulfing the South American country.