Hurricane Helene killed and destroyed far and wide – from Tampa to Atlanta to Asheville, North Carolina, its high winds, heavy rains and sheer size created a perfect mix for devastation.
Air Canada Vacations wrapped its fall ‘DreamMakers’ series of cross-Canada fall product launches Thursday with an enthusiastic crowd of close to a thousand travel advisors at a venue north of Toronto. The event also attracted one special guest: Sandals Resorts executive chairman Adam Stewart, who received a standing ovation when entering the stage.
Canadian travellers booking an international flight to Japan with Japan Airlines (JAL) are now eligible for a complimentary domestic flight to any destination within Japan. The International flight and a corresponding domestic flight must be made within the same reservation via JAL’s website – separate bookings for domestic flights will not be eligible.
PONANT’s groundbreaking polar expedition vessel, Le Commandant Charcot, etched its name in the annals of exploration on Sept. 12 by becoming the first vessel to reach the ‘North Pole of Inaccessibility’ – one of the most elusive and remote points on Earth. Located at the coordinates 85°48’ North, 176°09’ East, the North Pole of Inaccessibility is the farthest point in the Arctic Ocean from any land or accessible water, a place few dare to imagine reaching.
The soup-throwing days of two British climate activists have been halted, at least temporarily, when they were sentenced Friday for throwing tomato soup over Vincent van Gogh’s “Sunflowers” two years ago, nearly destroying one of the great masterpieces at London’s National Gallery.
In this week’s round-up, a Sunwing survey reveals Canadians’ travel intentions; the global travel industry edges ever-closer to pre-pandemic parity; a new cholera vaccine is made available in Canada; IHG has designs on Dubai’s latest epic venture: the tallest all-hotel tower in the world; how to earn a free AmaWaterways cruise – and, of course, much more.
As overtourism reaches a tipping point, Intrepid Travel has released its annual Not Hot List, featuring 10 lesser-known destinations that the tour operator believes deserve the spotlight for travel in 2025. The list seeks to address overtourism by inspiring travellers to discover different and unique experiences around the world – and that are largely off travellers’ radar – with communities that can truly benefit from more visitors.
To celebrate World Tourism Day – Sept. 27 – the TreadRight Foundation, The Travel Corporation (TTC)’s not-for-profit arm, is launching the first segment of a new three-part video series, created in collaboration with its project partners, Trees For Life, GreenWave, and Rainforest Rescue. The series aims to educate guests and industry partners about the power of nature-based solutions in mitigating the climate crisis.
When it comes to choosing ideal travel destinations, 35% of experienced travellers prioritize landscape-rich locations followed closely by 31% who seek destinations that offer adventurous activities, according to the recent Global Rescue Summer 2024 Traveller Sentiment and Safety Survey. But women have distinct preferences compared to men.
ACTA says it disappointed by the lack of progress demonstrated at Tuesday’s Travel Industry Council of Ontario (TICO) annual general meeting on Recommendation 16 of the provincial auditor general’s report, which recommended a comprehensive review of the Travel Industry Act, 2002 and its associated regulations to enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of the regulatory system in Ontario.
Travel intent remains strong among Canadians, despite economic headwinds like inflation, according to a new survey releases by Sunwing. Polled in mid August, nearly two-thirds (61%) of over 1,500 respondents said they are planning to travel internationally on a vacation in the next year and over half (55%) of those are likely to consider an all-inclusive vacation package.
When in Africa, one often hears passing reference to Zimbabwe’s famed hospitality, and there’s nowhere to appreciate it more than at the iconic World Heritage Site of Victoria Falls. Everyone smiles warmly and greets you like an old friend. They’re all genuinely delightful – and could they not be, living in such magnificence?
Helene became a hurricane Wednesday after the huge storm rapidly strengthened in the Caribbean Sea and moved north along Mexico’s coast on a path toward the US, leading residents to evacuate, schools to close, and officials to declare emergencies in Florida and Georgia.
Japneet Singh, a security patroller at Nova Scotia’s famed Peggy’s Cove – a longtime treasure of Atlantic Canada’s coastline southwest of Halifax – is no stranger to the perils of the sea. Singh’s summer job is to watch over the black rocks overlooking the Atlantic Ocean, which are routinely slapped violently with salty waves, and covered in slippery algae that can take an unsuspecting visitor by surprise.
Convincing a client to add insurance to their booking may be getting harder, according to a new survey from TD Insurance, which reveals that nearly a third of Canadians are who are planning to travel in the next 12 months say they will trim their trip safety net as part of a strategy to forgo non-essential costs without giving up going altogether.
It’s (almost) almost all about cruising as the countdown begins for ACTA’s upcoming river cruise summit with Avalon Waterways has begun, Nexion announces a cruise summit in 2025, and Virtuoso names its top cruise lines. Meanwhile, Onvigo agents are dreaming about Cancun after a recent fam (banner photo)
In a travel world bursting at the seams with overpacked, over-touristed destinations, travellers could use a little St. Kitts and Nevis – two Caribbean sister islands that can bring a little calm to our frenetic lives – according to St.Kitts’ new tourist authority CEO.
Sunwing Vacations Group hosted its second annual leadership event last week north of Toronto, bringing together approximately 150 leaders across its six vacation and retail travel brands for a day of celebration and learning about key business, brand and strategic updates that are positioning the group for continued future growth.
Moxy Hotels, the bold and playful brand known for its vibrant social spaces and spirited service, is celebrating its 10th anniversary this month (September). Since its inception in 2014 with the first Moxy Hotel opening in Milan, Moxy has been a disrupter in the hotel space by challenging the status quo, while creating a lighthearted, social atmosphere for modern travellers.
Hurricane watches were issued for parts of Cuba and Mexico on Monday as a cluster of storms located south of the Cayman Islands is expected to strengthen into a major hurricane – to be named Helene – in upcoming days with it moving north toward the Florida and the US as it cuts a path between Cuba and Mexico’s Yucatán peninsula in upcoming days.
The only single-dose oral vaccine approved in Canada to protect against cholera is now available commercially through travel health professionals in this country. Distributed by leading global travel vaccine supplier Bavarian Nordic, VAXCHORA helps deliver protection against the sudden intestinal infection within 10 days after a single oral dose.
Rocking an Olympic-themed atmosphere, Transat Distribution Canada welcomed its English Canada members in Toronto over the weekend for the organization’s annual conference. Some 250 participants were on hand from across the TDC network, including Transat execs, agency owners, advisors (including from the agent@home program), and 60 preferred partners.
Playa Hotels & Resorts has officially opened reservations for Kimpton Tres Rios, its newest managed property – and first ever all-inclusive – for stays in early 2025. Set on a white sand beach and surrounded by lush mangroves, the all-age luxury resort is located in Mexico’s Riviera Maya has undergone a significant transformation since early 2023.
A total of 67 out of 120 destinations around the world recovered to pre-pandemic arrival numbers in the first half of 2024, resulting in international tourism reaching 96% of 2019 levels overall in the seven months through July 2024,
China promised tiny tourism-dependent Palau a million tourists a year if the country would only drop its allegiance to Taiwan, says the country’s President Surangel Whipps Jr. But the Chinese tactic of “weaponizing” tourism saw its visitors to the Pacific archipelago suddenly decline by half when Whipps Jr. declined the offer.
The head of the Air Canada pilots union says she’ll step down if members opt not to approve a tentative deal with the airline, raising the stakes as aviators mull whether to accept hefty salary gains or drive an even harder bargain.
The Canadian Association of Tour Operators (CATO) is urging Ontario’s travel trade to unite and make their voices heard at the Sept. 24 Travel Industry Council of Ontario annual meeting, particularly in calling for the provincial government to comprehensively review and update the Travel Industry Act, as well as to demand progress on a review of TICO’s own operations as the regulatory body for Ontario’s travel industry.
As Belfast continues to celebrate a year-long program of culture inspired by Belfast’s designation as a UNESCO City of Music in 2024 and its well-known literary reputation, Northern Ireland’s economic minister called in Toronto last week to talk travel with the trade.
Alaska Airlines has closed its $1 billion purchase of Hawaiian Airline, shortly after the US federal government removed the last major regulatory obstacle to the deal. Alaska says it will keep Hawaiian as a separate brand, eliminating the need to repaint planes.
The Travel Corporation (TTC) today announced the appointment of Melissa DaSilva as Interim CEO of TTC Tour Brands, effective immediately. DaSilva, who most recently served as President of TTC Tour Brands North America and brings over three decades of travel industry expertise to her new role, succeeds Gavin Tollman who will exit the business when the company sale closes later this year.