The Tourism Industry Association of Canada has kicked off its 2023 series of Tourism Town Halls. The coast-to-coast road show is designed give tourism stakeholders across the country an opportunity to meet with TIAC and its partners to better understand efforts on national and local tourism issues, and offers a forum for open dialogue, discussion, and constructive debate.
The Walt Disney Co. is turning 100 years old this year and the Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, Ca., which will be at the heart of celebrations, begins festivities this week (Jan. 27) across both Disneyland and Disney California Adventure, featuring new décor, shows, and a much-anticipated new Mickey-themed attraction.
Porter Airlines is relaunching its VIPorter loyalty program with additional membership levels, added benefits, and the enhanced ability for economy travellers to earn perks. The upgrades coincide with Porter’s new Embraer E195-E2 jet service on Feb. 1.
The newly opened airport in Nepal where a Yeti Airlines plane was attempting to land when it crashed Jan. 15 killing all 72 on board, did not have a functioning instrument landing system that guides planes to the runway, according to an official. Aviation safety experts said it reflects the Himalayan country’s poor air safety record, although the cause of the accident has not been determined.
Consumers should help fund Ontario’s Compensation Fund, says the Canadian Association of Tour Operators, echoing long-held views by the retail industry that its members should not be solely responsible for mandatory consumer protection against supplier failure in the province, and equally that the Fund is insufficient to meet current needs.
Jamaica or Jupiter, Mexico or the moon? Travel sellers may one day have more options to offer clients as Canada begins the process of expanding its commercial space launch capabilities.
VisitBritain will welcome more than 120 travel trade buyers from 16 international markets – including Canada ¬– starting this week for a series of educational visits across Britain. The three-to-five-day itineraries across the UK are designed to showcase that Britain is “packed full of fresh and exciting experiences for visitors to come and enjoy right now.”
The magic of Hong Kong was on display, literally, at an industry gala in Toronto late last week as the city’s tourist board, in conjunction with the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office, celebrated Chinese New Year with food, music, traditional dragon dancers, prizes, and, uniquely, a performance by an actual magician flown in from Hong Kong.
Canadian and US border agencies say they have a plan to reduce the backlog for the beleaguered NEXUS trusted-traveller program, although significant improvements are not expected until spring. Here’s what you need to know:
German airline Lufthansa said it has submitted an offer for a minority stake in Italy’s ITA Airways, formerly Alitalia. The Italian finance ministry said in a statement that the Lufthansa offer was the only one submitted by the Jan. 17 deadline.
In last week’s news, the WHO urged a return to masks; Mexico told tourists to butt out; an Icelandic airline made moves in Canada; the UN predicted that tourism is back – nearly; and the next year’s Caribbean Travel Marketplace will be held in Barbados in May. NEWS The World Health Organization (WHO) is urging
At least 1.1 million people protested on the streets of Paris and other French cities Thursday amid nationwide strikes against plans to raise the retirement age. The events affected travel across the country and closed tourist attractions in Paris, with fears that the disruptions will continue.
The US Department of Transportation has fined the British airline Virgin Atlantic US $1.05 million for operating flights carrying the Delta Airlines flight code (DL) in prohibited airspace over Iraq. The Federal Aviation Authority has banned US carriers from operating at certain altitudes over Iraq.
Airport operators should get back to basics and focus their attention on getting people onto their flights rather than trying to get them to go shopping, reveals new consumer research. The strongest demand by survey respondents was for better and faster check-in options, identified by more than 30% of the sample as the top priority.
Far from Bali’s beaches and hotels, farmer I Ketut Jata stands on a mountainside, staring at terraced land that is too dry to grow the rice his family has long relied on for food and income. “It is no longer possible to work in the fields as a farmer,” he says.
Donut and UFO capers are eclipsed by a creative use of the 911 emergency system that could only happen in Florida in this week’s ever-amusing, ever-disturbing tales of the weird and wacky.
Oh, you poor puppy. I’m going to miss you! Don’t you wish you could actually take your sad-eyed pooch or pouting pussycat along with you as you pack up for a cruise?
The late great Mac Rebbenack, aka Dr. John, was the epitome of a New Orleans artist, combining, blues, jazz, funk, and R&B into that irrepressible, inimitable blend of music that could only come from the Big Easy.
The snowstorms that iced many people out of their holiday season travel plans continue to leave airline and railway executives and politicians on the hot seat, however almost as many Canadians simply blame the weather, and nearly a third says travellers themselves are at fault for putting themselves in the situation in the first place.
The Greater Saskatoon Chamber of Commerce is asking the federal competition regulator to investigate Air Canada’s decision to end its flights between Saskatoon and Calgary and between Regina and Calgary.
With an onboard toast of ceremonial (and symbolic) Gatorade, plus pre-flight goodies for passengers, Swoop launched inaugural no-frills service to Cuba with a full complement of passengers (including Travel Industry Today) headed for sunny Varadero, departing chilly Toronto on W0652.
A Qantas flight travelling from New Zealand to Sydney landed safely on a single engine after it issued a mayday call over the Pacific Ocean on Wednesday.
Phil Sproul, a long-time veteran of the travel industry, has joined Huntington Travel Group as Chief Executive Officer (CEO), taking control of the Consolidator and Tours arm, Escapades by Huntington. Sproul will oversee further development of the Canadian market while expanding the existing business in the United States.
After listening to park-goers, The Walt Disney Co. is making several changes at its US theme parks, including some easier reservations, in order to improve the public perception of its business, which suffered during the pandemic.
Mexico has banned smoking in all public places and tourists caught contravening the law – which went into effect this week – could be fined up to US$300 and be jailed for up to 36 hours.
After stronger than expected recovery in 2022, the United Nations World Tourism Organization says this year could see international tourism arrivals return to pre-pandemic levels in Europe and the Middle East.
Travellers whose package tours were ruined by the imposition of restrictions to combat the COVID-19 pandemic may be entitled to at least a partial refund, the European Union’s highest court says. The European Court of Justice weighed in after being asked for its opinion by a court in Germany.
With the spotlight set to fall on Brazil again in February as the nation’s raucous carnival season kicks off, Embratur is looking north with the hopes of inspiring Canadians to travel to the South American country in 2023.
US airline executives bristled last year when American government officials, led by Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, blamed the carriers for causing thousands of flight cancellations and mistreating their customers. The shoe is on the other foot now after the technology outage at the Federal Aviation Administration, which grounded planes for a time last week.
Restricting personal vehicles to Moraine Lake – one of the most popular tourist destinations in Banff National Park and an iconic symbol of Canadian tourism – is a necessary move to reduce frustrating and ecologically harmful over-tourism, says a Parks Canada official.