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FIASCO OR FLOP?: Mexico’s Maya Train tourist line is both

The pet rail project of Mexican president Andrés Manuel López Obrador could wind up costing as much as US$30 billion, is only half finished as he heads into the final two months of his term, and has wreaked major damage on the environment. But the most damning judgment on the Maya Train tourist line, is that only about 1,200 people per day use it when the government had originally promised the train would carry between 22,000 and 37,000 daily.

MSC INTRODUCES EXCLUSIVE SHORE EXCURSIONS FOR YACHT CLUB GUESTS

MSC Cruises is introducing more than 90 shore excursions for MSC Yacht Club guests, providing guests touring options in the Caribbean, Mediterranean, and Northern Europe beyond existing shore excursion programs. The exclusive excursions are also designed to take care of all the details, from priority disembarkation, private transfers to local experts ashore.

BALLERINA OR BERLUSCONI?: New Rome airport name stirs controversy

Silvio Berlusconi, a cruise-ship singer, media mogul and a three-time premier who dominated Italian politics for three decades – and seen by some as a forerunner of Donald Trump – is getting a new act following his death last year. Milan’s Malpensa Airport, Italy’s second-busiest passenger airport, is being renamed for the billionaire businessman-turned-politician, Italy’s transport minister announced last week.

TURKISH AIRLINES EXTENDS STOPOVER PROGRAM FOR CANADIANS

Turkish Airlines has enhanced its renowned Istanbul Stopover service for Canadian travellers, now providing an extra complimentary night’s accommodation at partner hotels for both Economy and Business Class passengers. This initiative is designed to enable travellers to immerse themselves in Istanbul’s rich history and vibrant cultural scene at no additional cost when flying internationally from Canada with a layover in Istanbul.

ACV ANNOUNCES FALL PRODUCT LAUNCHES

Air Canada Vacations has announced its fall product show dates, with the “Dream Makers” road show set to roll into five cities across the country – Vancouver, Edmonton, Halifax, Montreal, and Toronto – in September. The events will feature a trade show, news and updates presentation, networking with supplier partners, food and beverages, entertainment, prizes, and more.

DELTA AILINES CAUGHT IN PALESTINIAN FLAG FLAP

Delta Air Lines is changing its employee uniform policy following a turbulent ride through a social media storm started by a passenger’s outrage over two flight attendants photographed wearing Palestinian pins. The uproar over the July 10 post, which described the Palestinian pins as “Hamas badges,” has led Delta to ban its employees from wearing pins representing any country or nationality besides the US.

VENICE DAY TAX A ‘FAILURE,’ CRITICS CHARGE

Venice on Sunday wrapped up a pilot program charging day-trippers an entrance fee, more than €2 million ($3 million) richer and determined to not only extend the levy but double it next year. However, opponents in the fragile Italian lagoon city say the €5 ($5.45) levy has failed to deter visitors on peak days, as envisioned.

ACTA WEATHERS THE STORM AT ANNUAL GOLF TOURNEY

A collective exhale from ACTA golfers in Ontario pushed the remnants of Hurricane Beryl just far enough to allow the association’s 34th annual tournament to get off the tee on Thursday, enabling a mostly sunny and typically enthusiastic event that allowed for a little welcome R&R for many members after what association president Wendy Paradis noted was a particularly challenging couple of weeks thanks to the aforementioned hurricane and WestJet strike woes.

UTOPIA OF THE SEAS SET TO SAIL THIS WEEK

Royal Caribbean International’s Utopia of the Seas has arrived in Port Canaveral (Orlando), Fla., ahead of its official debut later this week (Friday). The Oasis Class ship is the first of its kind to debut with three-night weekend and four-night weekday getaways. 

ONE GUN IS TOO MANY

As the US roils under its latest incident of gun violence (Trump assassination attempt), the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) reports it intercepted 3,269 firearms at airport security checkpoints south of the border during the first half of 2024 – an average of nearly 20 a day – and that 94 percent were loaded.

ROUND-UP, JULY 8-12, 2024

It was a week of heat and hurricane recovery and a big golf tournament (ACTA) in Ontario, but in other round-up news, Canada was forecast to have a historic year in tourism, Disney made news in Japan, Crystal announced plans for two more ships, and Air France-KLM and SAS are new codeshare partners.

BETTER GET USED TO IT: Beryl a sign the world is in hot water, and more bad storms ahead

Hurricane Beryl’s explosive growth early into an unprecedented early whopper of a storm – one that started in the southern Caribbean and looped its way over the course of about 10 days through Mexico and all the way back (albeit in diminished form) to eastern Canada – shows the literal hot water the Atlantic and Caribbean are in right now – and the kind of season ahead, experts say.

LOUNGING AROUND: Plaza Premium unveils ambitious growth plans

The world’s largest provider of airport lounges, Plaza Premium Group (PPG), plans to significantly expand its presence across the Americas, including undertaking “significant projects” in Toronto and Vancouver. The endeavour will be part of the Group’s larger commitment to invest US$300 million globally over the next three years.

FRIENDS PHENOMENON BOUND FOR VEGAS

Later this year, The FRIENDS Experience will debut its West Coast flagship location in Las Vegas at MGM Grand. “The One in Vegas” transports guests into the world of the popular TV show allowing fans to explore the series’ iconic moments, behind-the-scenes content, and photo opportunities within life-sized set recreations.

NEW VISION FOR VIA: Reveals design for new corridor fleet

VIA Rail has unveiled a special exterior design for one of its new Québec City-Windsor corridor trains. Featuring VIA Rail’s classic monochrome yellow while keeping the signature linear lines of the new trains, the new look will mark Lumi, the unique train of its new Corridor fleet.

SMARTER, FASTER: Travelport unveils new AI-powered search tool

Travelport has launched what it calls “revolutionary” content curation through the use of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) that will provide travel agencies more control over multi-source content within the Travelport+ platform, thus “makings agents’ lives easier and business more efficient.”

DISNEY CRUISE LINE EXPANDS AGAIN, TAKES BRAND TO JAPAN

Disney is taking its cruise brand to Japan under an agreement that will see the company that owns and operates Tokyo Disney Resort build and operate a Disney-branded cruise ship in the country, which is expected to set sail by early 2029.

NEW WYNDHAM BRAND MAKING WAVES IN DOMINICAN REPUBLIC

Located in the charming town of Las Galeras in the Samaná province of the Dominican Republic, the new all-inclusive Wyndham Alltra Samaná boasts ocean views, pristine white sands and all-day entertainment for all ages. Managed by Playa Hotels & Resorts, the resort marks Wyndham Alltra’s first resort in the DR.

TURKISH AIRLINES OFFICE IN IRAN CLOSED AFTER HEADSCARF SKIRMISH

Police in Iran shut down the Turkish Airlines office in the capital of Tehran this week after female employees there apparently refused to wear the mandatory headscarf, or hijab, in an act of defiance of the country’s law, according to Iranian media.

MILAN MUSEUM TO FINALLY OPEN AFTER 50 YEARS OF DELAYS

Fifty-two years and 39 Italian governments after it was first envisioned, Milan’s Brera Modern will be inaugurated in the fall, officials have promised. An extension of the famed Pinacoteca di Brera, the new museum will house more than 100 contemporary art works that belong to Brera’s collection that have mostly been relegated to storage.

‘LIKE WALKING ON MARS’: Dangerous Death Valley heat inspires visitors

Hundreds of visitors touring the American West and adventurers from around the US have been drawn to Death Valley National Park this week, even though the desolate region known as one of the Earth’s hottest places is being punished by a dangerous heat wave blamed for a motorcyclist’s death over the weekend.

‘FULLY OPERATIONAL’ AGAIN, GRENADA APPEALS FOR AID, VISITORS

In the aftermath of Hurricane Beryl, the Grenada Tourism Authority (GTA) reports that southern Caribbean destination’s airport, hotels and attractions are fully operational on the “resilient” main island – as well as the cruise port, where Royal Caribbean’s Rhapsody of the Sea arrived yesterday (Tuesday) with over 2,300 passengers. But Carriacou and Petite Martinique suffered “catastrophic damage” and are desperately in need of aid.

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