With solo travel on the rise – both on land and at sea, and increasingly by women – many travel suppliers are upping the ante with a bevy of offers and experiences that to cater to the growing travel demographic, and bely traditional punitive measures like single supplements. Here are six offers designed for those who content marching to the beat of their own drum.
With the opening of Celebration Key on Grand Bahama Island just a year away, Carnival Cruise Line has unveiled details about Pearl Cove Beach Club, which will offer a premium experience for guests 18 and older. Reservations for the exclusive retreat are now available through Jan. 2, 2026.
A major wildfire raged across the northern suburbs of Athens on Monday, leaving at least one person dead and triggering multiple evacuations as swirling winds hampered the efforts of hundreds of firefighters and dozens of water-dropping planes.
InsureMyTrip, a rapidly growing Canadian travel insurance comparison website, has launched a plan tailored specifically for travellers up to age 29. The all-inclusive TIPS Youth Premier Plan – underwritten by Old Republic Insurance Company of Canada – is designed to offer extensive benefits at a competitive price to young travellers.
London’s Heathrow Express has launched an online booking platform, designed specifically for B2B partners. The platform offers tour operators, travel advisors and DMCs a streamlined method to book Heathrow Express tickets at a corporate rate. They now have the opportunity to offer Heathrow Express tickets as an additional option for their customers, enhancing their travel packages with the added benefit of incentives.
From an aquapark to an 11-storey dry slide, thematic playground, ropes course and much more, MSC Cruises has revealed the latest details on attractions and experiences awaiting guests in The Harbour, dubbed “the crowning glory” of the MSC World America’s Family Aventura entertainment district.
Tourism Malaysia has unveiled an array of tourism packages that spotlight the destination’s famous – and notoriously smelly – fruit: the durian – called by some the “King of Fruits.” The new publication, “Durian Tourism Packages 2024/2025,” features 62 packages from 27 local tour operators across 12 Malaysian states, blending the renowned flavours of fragrant durians with entertaining activities.
Starting in October, nature lovers and fitness enthusiasts will have a new opportunity to discover Sweden on the Stockholm Archipelago Trail (SAT), a new 270-km hiking route through one of the world’s largest island groups with about 30,000 islands, islets, and skerries. There will be 20 sections of the route that reveal 21 spectacular islands where “pristine nature awaits.”
Tropical storm warnings are in effect for Puerto Rico, the U.S. and British Virgin Islands, Antigua, Barbuda, Anguilla, St. Kitts, Nevis, Montserrat, Guadeloupe, St. Martin, St. Barts and St. Maarten. The National Hurricane Center said a disturbance in the Atlantic is expected to become a tropical depression late Monday before strengthening into a tropical storm as it approaches the northeast Caribbean.
The Disney fleet currently consists of five ships – Disney Dream, Disney Fantasy, Disney Magic, Disney Wish and Disney Wonder. The Disney Treasure will join the existing fleet this year, followed by Disney Adventure and Disney Destiny which will launch in 2025. An as yet unnamed fourth ship will launch in 2029. Over the weekend the Disney Cruise Line revealed it is ordering four more ships. The new order which will give DCL a fleet of 13 ships by 2031.
The first-ever US Baggage Sanitization System has been introduced at New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport’s Terminal 7. Dubbed a “significant milestone in the travel industry’s ongoing efforts to combat the spread of infectious diseases,” the system offers a travellers a quick, turn-key solution to sanitize their baggage before bringing it home with them.
The Bahamas is composed of more than 700 islets, islands, and 2,400 cays. Of those, less than 40 are inhabited. From the well-known, like Nassau-Paradise Island to hidden gems like Ragged Island, each island promises a distinctive window into Bahamian life and culture. So where to go? Here’s a list of 16 unique islands – all of them worthy, in their own special way:
The Sunshine State has made significant investments in improving accessibility for travellers. With extensive resources for people with special needs, visitors of all ages and abilities can participate in and enjoy experiences across the state. Here are just some of the ways Florida partners aim to help.
Princess Cruises says its Alaska season for 2026 will be its biggest ever. Highlighted by the debut of the newest ship in its fleet, Star Princess, the program will feature eight ships, 180 departures, and 19 destinations, with a robust roster of Alaska adventures by sea, land, or both.
Experts say airfares may go up in the immediate aftermath of a hailstorm that tore through Calgary last week, damaging planes at WestJet and Flair Airlines and upending travel plans for thousands of passengers. Hailstones as big as golf balls pummelled the airport tarmac, forcing both airlines to ground 10 percent of their fleets for repairs and inspections.
With the peak of the hurricane season “right around the corner,” forecasters continue to predict that 2024 will be a highly active hurricane season. Moreover, thanks to near-record sea surface temperatures and the possibility of La Nina, the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s updated hurricane outlook says the season that could rank among the busiest on record.
Air Canada may be the official carrier of Team Canada, but that didn’t stop the Paris Olympics from hobbling its summer sales. Despite Canadians’ continued thirst for Mediterranean getaways, the airline’s transatlantic ticket proceeds suffered in its latest quarter as travellers from France and Germany opted to stay on the Continent to soak up the Olympics as well as Euro 2024, and many Canadians decided to avoid France during the Games.
Sandals is reminding travel advisors that its Masterclass webinar series is still in session with five final classes still to come in 2024. Taking place in August – including Aug. 14 in Alberta – the two-hour live sessions are led by national training manager Lorna Richards and offer agents key strategies to help drive growth in their Sandals and Beaches Resorts business.
A man who says he broke his ankle jumping into the sprinkle pool at the Museum of Ice Cream in New York City has filed a lawsuit alleging that the facility was negligent for not warning visitors that it is unsafe to jump into the p
WestJet says the repercussions of a freak hailstorm continue to cause cancellations in Calgary, while NCL hailed members of the Canadian military with special rates in this week’s round-up. Among the other news, Canada is getting a new insurance player, Dubai tourism is going gangbusters, the Cuba tourist board is inviting adventurous agents on a FAM, and Olympic hero Summer McIntosh has a golden experience going through customs in Toronto.
When it’s time for drivers in Ontario to head out on the highway for summer holidays, or rev up that rental car, it would be wise to remember that a majority of the province’s own drivers admit to engaging in risky and unsafe driving behaviours, according to a recent study on dangerous driving conducted by CAA South Central Ontario (CAA SCO).
Building on extensive flight access from Toronto and Montreal, Air Canada Vacations has introduced a new guided tours program for Colombia, featuring year-round tours and immersive experiences that cover the South American nation’s pristine coasts, natural marvels and colonial towns.
Travelling to destinations where you don’t speak the local language can leave you lost in translation. Communicating in the local language helps advance cultural exchange and improves engagement with locals. Overcoming language barriers increases the ability of travellers to immerse themselves in the local culture.
When last August’s deadly wildfire tore through Lahaina on Maui, the wall of flames scorched the 151-year-old banyan tree along the historic town’s Front Street. But the sprawling tree – a beloved symbol of the town – survived the blaze, and thanks to the efforts of arborists and dedicated volunteers, parts of it are growing back – and even thriving.
A Chinese American teen is vying to become the youngest person to fly solo to all seven continents in a quest that also aims to drum up donations for research into childhood cancer.
WestJet says cancellations and delays across its network will continue for the “foreseeable future” as it recovers from damage caused by an unprecedented hailstorm in Calgary on Monday night. As a result of the storm, 16 WestJet aircraft – 10 percent of its fleet – are grounded as they require substantial repairs and inspections before returning to service.
Europ Assistance (EA), a subsidiary of the Generali Group, one of the largest global insurance and asset management providers, has officially launched operations in Canada with the introduction of a comprehensive new travel insurance platform. The expansion marks EA’s 36th operational market and second in North America, joining Generali Global Assistance in the United States.
Air Canada saw its profits fall by half even while its revenue rose in its latest quarter, as the country’s largest airline struggled to complete the final stages of its recovery from COVID-19.
Malayan tigers and Aldabra tortoises are native to hot and humid lands, but that doesn’t mean they don’t enjoy a frozen treat on a hot Florida summer day. Temperatures in South Florida this month have reached the upper 90s Fahrenheit (mid-30s Celsius) with humidity reaching 70%, combining for “feels like” temperatures regularly exceeding 100 F (38 C).
Hotel workers in three of Quebec’s largest cities are set to walk off the job today (Thursday) in the middle of the busy summer tourist season. The one-day strike will affect 23 hotels in the Montreal region, Quebec City and Sherbrooke, and will include more than 2,600 workers.