ROUND-UP: Oct. 7-11, 2024
Airlines, hotels/resorts, cruising, tours, events, FAMS/incentives, deals, destinations and more are covered in our weekly round-up of travel industry news you may have missed.
News
AIR CANADA PILOTS RATIFY DEAL, EASE STRIKE FEARS
Air Canada pilots have given a green light to a tentative agreement with the airline, easing any fears of a future strike. The Air Line Pilots Association says its 5,200 members voted 67 percent in favour of the contract, which provides a cumulative wage hike of nearly 42% over four years and goes into effect immediately.
MORE BAD WEATHER STILL POSSIBLE, SNOWBIRDS WARNED
A Canadian meteorologist with The Weather Network says it’s possible more extreme weather could come in the wake of Hurricane Milton’s devastation, and Canadians still in Florida should “take these storms seriously.”
PANDA TOURISM: Hong Kong has high hopes for new arrivals
Hong Kong has welcomed a new pair of giant pandas gifted by Beijing – the third pair of giant pandas to be sent to the city from mainland China since the former British colony returned to Chinese rule in 1997. Tourism industry representatives are optimistic about the potential impact of housing six pandas, hoping it will boost visitor numbers in Hong Kong.
EXTRAORDINARY JOURNEYS: The slow ride from Churchill to Winnipeg
The setting sun backlights a pristine panoply of pines of different sizes and species. Far northern Canadian countryside rolls by at a leisurely pace of a train ride, viewed through an upper deck glass-enclosed of a special observation car. Waves of green and brown in slightly varying shades sweep by.
‘GET USED TO IT’: Hurricane future ‘looks grim’
Explosively intensifying Hurricane Milton is the latest freaky system to come out of what veteran hurricane scientists call the weirdest storm season of their lives. Before this Atlantic hurricane season started, forecasters said everything lined up to be a monster busy year, and it began that way when Beryl was the earliest storm to reach Category 5 on record. Then, nothing.
EMERGENCY LANDING AS PILOT DIES MID-FLIGHT
A Turkish Airlines jetliner headed from Seattle to Istanbul made an emergency landing in New York on Wednesday after the pilot died on board. Pilot İlçehin Pehlivan, 59, lost consciousness at some point after Flight TK204 took off from Seattle Tuesday night, Turkish Airlines spokesperson Yahya Üstün said in a statement.
‘A DEFINING MOMENT’: T&T emissions going in the right direction
In contrast to returning to near pre-pandemic levels of activity in the industry, global emissions from Travel & Tourism dropped in 2023, marking an “important achievement” with the sector’s economic contribution growing faster than its environmental impact, according to the World Travel & Tourism Council.
QANTAS APOLOGIZES FOR AIRING RACY MOVIE
Qantas Airways has drawn up a stir after broadcasting a slightly racy movie across an entire flight. And the Australian carrier now is apologizing to customers.
KENSINGTON OFFERS NEW LOOK WITH REBRAND
Toronto-based Kensington has announced the rebranding of its core businesses. As part of the transformation, Kensington will be the main brand offering several sub-brands featuring a portfolio of luxury experiences: Kensington Tours, Kensington Villas, Kensington Cruise, Kensington Air, and Kensington Private Jet, with plans to explore additional categories in luxury travel.
GRAND PALLADIUM A PLAYGROUND FOR ALL AGES
Grand Palladium Hotels & Resorts is known for its luxury accommodations, pristine resort grounds and on-site entertainment and activities that provide every member of the family unforgettable vacation experiences, says Sunwing Vacations.
CAN’T GET NO SATIFSICATION: Canadian airports have hard landing in prestigious airport ranking survey
Toronto Pearson airport ranks a lowly 19th out of 20 in the newly released 2024 J.D. Power North America Airport Satisfaction Study, scoring a lowly 559 on a 1,000-point scale, and below the 595-point media. Pearson was listed in the study’s “mega” airport category, defined as facilities with 33 million or more passengers per year.
ORLANDO PREPARES FOR ONSLAUGHT: Tourism ‘grinds to a halt’
Orlando’s tourism machine began grinding to a halt Tuesday with at least three major theme parks and the main airport announcing closures ahead of Hurricane Milton ’s expected hit as a major storm in Florida.
GAME ON: Britain’s West Midlands builds on Commonwealth legacy in Canada
With the 2022 Birmingham Commonwealth Games firmly in the rearview mirror, Britain’s West Midlands region is still building on the legacy of the Games with new tourism product and itineraries, not least when it comes to leisure tourism, which has typically lagged behind business tourism in the region.
THE THRILLA OF ANGUILLA: Tourist board returns to Canada
The Anguilla Tourist Board (ATB) returned to the Canadian market last week, meeting with travel trade industry representatives and media. Stacey Liburd, Anguilla’s Director of Tourism, and Kohn Richardson, Co-ordinator of International Markets, visited Toronto, Ottawa, Montreal, and Quebec City where shared record-breaking arrival numbers, led by visitors from the island’s top markets, Canada and the US.
NEW TAIWAN TOURISM CENTRE IN VANCOUVER A RESOURCE FOR TRADE
The Taiwan Tourism Administration (MOTC) celebrated the grand opening of the Taiwan Tourism Information Centre in Vancouver last week, reflecting a significant step in promoting Taiwan to the Canadian market and liaising with the travel trade.
WESTJET NAMES NEW EXECUTIVE VP, CHIEF PEOPLE OFFICER
The WestJet Group has named Jacqui McGillivray as its Executive Vice-President and Chief People Officer, effective today (Oct. 7) She replaces Angela Avery, who announced her retirement earlier this year. Avery will stay on in an advisory capacity to assist with a smooth transition.
WORST-CASE SCENARIO: Tampa prepares for ‘black swan’ hurricane
A “black swan” worst-case hurricane scenario feared by scientists is set to wallop Tampa on Wednesday – something that hasn’t happened in nearly 100 years. On Monday, Hurricane Milton rapidly strengthened in the Gulf of Mexico to become a Category 5 hurricane – the strongest level – on a path toward Florida, prompting evacuation orders along the same stretch of coastline that was swamped by Hurricane Helene less than two weeks ago.
RETAIL ROUND-UP: Transat, Ensemble, Travel Masters, TRAVELSAVERS, F1S
In this week’s look at the world of retail travel, Transat was on the road to amazing Marrakesh, hosting an advisor FAM; Ensemble has launched a hotel-cruise amenity program for clients; award-winning Travel Masters, TRAVELSAVERS Canada celebrates new tech and new affiliates; and F1S has welcomed a new exec.
AIR CANADA FINED FOR FLYING OVER IRAQI AIRSPACE
The US Department of Transportation (DOT) has fined Air Canada US$250,000 for operating flights carrying United Airlines’ designator code in regions in which a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) flight prohibition was in effect for US operators. The airline was ordered to cease and desist from future similar violations.
GX SUMMIT SHOWCASES POWER OF COMMUNITY TOURISM
G Adventures reports it raised more than CAD$325,000 raised to-date to uplift communities worldwide at its recent GX World Community Tourism Summit in Jaipur, India. Held in conjunction with its non-profit partner, Planeterra, the Summit took place Sept. 27, coinciding with World Tourism Day celebrations around the world.
WE ARE NOT AMUSED: What’s bugging travel advisors today
From direct bookings by suppliers to sheer exhaustion in their jobs, a new survey of TRAVELSAVERS Canada agency owners and managers has identified their greatest challenges. The former pain point was named by 54% of those polled, while OTA competition was named by 33%. Agencies are also coping with staffing and economic issues, the survey revealed.
‘IT’S CLEAR’ – FLORIDA WILL BE HIT HARD AGAIN
Hurricane Milton is expected to intensify rapidly into a major hurricane before slamming midweek into the already storm-ravaged Gulf Coast of Florida. While forecast models vary widely, the most likely path suggests Milton could make landfall Wednesday in the Tampa Bay area and remain a hurricane as it moves across central Florida into the Atlantic Ocean, forecasters said.
EXPERIENCE MEETS INNOVATION: An in-depth look at ‘the new Goway’
From a first reservation conducted by telegram in 1970 to a just-launched state-of-the-art reservation system that took five years to develop, Goway has certainly come a long way. And still has a long way to go, says company founder, 81-years-young Bruce Hodge, who officially introduced “the new Goway” Thursday at a gala event in Toronto as the tour company enters its 55th year with a fresh look and renewed ambition.
SUPREME COURT BACKS PAX
In a victory for air travellers, the Supreme Court of Canada has upheld rules that bolster compensation for passengers subjected to delays and damaged luggage on international flights.
WESTJET WEIGHS IN ON WINNIPEG: Continues to increase service from YWG
With over 2.4 million seats serving Winnipeg this year, WestJet says it has expanded operations by 21 percent in 2024 and will continue to strengthen travel options for both business and leisure in Manitoba’s capital.
ROUND-UP: Sept. 30-Oct. 04, 2024
Airlines, hotels/resorts, cruising, tours, events, FAMS/incentives, deals, destinations and more are covered in our weekly round-up of travel industry news that you may have missed.
DO REPEATED FLIGHT SEARCHES RAISE THE PRICE? And how to beat the system
Frequent travellers may want to think twice before repeatedly and excessively searching for the best flight fares options. It’s an exercise, experts warn, that may lead to price actually going up due – a phenomenon occurs because online booking platforms deploy cookies to track and remember an individuals search patterns, prompting dynamic pricing adjustments.
AIR CANADA, WESTJET ORDERED TO AID COMPETITION BUREAU
The Competition Bureau says it has obtained court orders requiring Air Canada and WestJet to hand over information for the watchdog’s market study into airline competition. Granted by the Federal Court, the rulings require the country’s two biggest carriers to produce records and answer questions around barriers to entry into the field, performance metrics and agreements with airports and other airlines.
LONDON SHEEP DRIVE CELEBRATES ECCENTRIC HISTORIC TRADITION
More than 1,000 freemen, many wearing black hats and red cloaks, and including actor Damian Lewis, drove a flock of sheep across the River Thames this week in the annual London Sheep Drive – an homage to a centuries-old tradition.