HEAVIEST RAINFALL EVER DISRUPTS DUBAI, UAE
Dubai International Airport allowed global carriers to again fly into Terminal 1 on Thursday as the United Arab Emirates struggled to recover from the heaviest recorded rainfall ever to hit the desert nation. “Flights continue to be delayed and disrupted, so we urge you to only come to Terminal 1 if you have a confirmed booking,” the airport said on the social platform X as the UAE’s main airport worked to restore normal operations even as floodwater still covered portions of major highways and roads. MORE
YVR VOTED BEST AIRPORT IN NORTH AMERICA
But Doha is best in the world
Vancouver International Airport (YVR) has been named Best Airport in North America at the prestigious Skytrax World Airport Awards in Frankfurt, Germany. Skytrax is recognized as the world's premier international airport awards, with honours assessed according to votes cast by more than 13-million passengers worldwide. MORE
AIR CANADA DROPS PUCK FOR PWHL FAN FLIGHT
Citing an ongoing commitment to gender equality, Air Canada has announced the first Professional Women's Hockey League (PWHL) edition of its popular Fan Flight program, giving young fans a chance to attend a game during the upcoming PHWL Finals. MORE
WASN’T THAT A PARTY!
500 Newfoundlanders wind up on the same cruise
A Celebrity Apex cruise to the Caribbean this month turned into a rocking Newfoundland kitchen party when hundreds of people from Canada's easternmost province happened to be booked on the same ship. MORE
HELLO DOLLIES
Windsor Castle celebrates centenary world famous doll house
Throughout 2024, Britian’s Royal Collection Trust will celebrate the 100th anniversary of Queen Mary’s Dolls’ House at Windsor Castle, the largest and most famous dolls’ house in the world. Queen Mary’s Dolls’ House was built between 1921 and 1924 as a gift from the nation to Queen Mary following the First World War. MORE
PENGUINS OR WALLABIES? A dilemma on an Aussie island
Decisions, decisions. On a visit to Australia’s Philip Island on a Seabourn Cruises voyage down under, two evening shore excursions were both listed as must-sees. One tour promised us an unforgettable avian airshow as thousands of seabirds fly in feathery clouds back to their nests at sunset as part of a spectacular hike along one of Australia’s most famed surfing beaches whose cliffside trails are the routes of loveable wallabies. We’re also promised an awesome surprise at the end. MORE
LISTENING IN
From Chicago to Toronto, the Legend of Buddy Guy
I saw the amazing Buddy Guy a few years back at Casino Rama, in Orillia, Ont., still rocking (and wading into the audience) even in his early 80s. Now 87, the last of the great Chicago bluesmen is on his “Damn Right” farewell tour, and I’m lucky to be catching him again tonight (Friday) at Massey Hall in Toronto, where he has played 18 times since 1970. MORE
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UP IN FLAMES
Fire guts famous Copenhagen landmark
There’s one less spire in the “City of Spires” after fire gutted the Boersen, Copenhagen’s famed former stock exchange building on Tuesday – a calamity being compared to the destruction of Notre Dame in Paris in 2019. MORE
NYC HITTING A HOME RUN WITH CANADIAN MARKET
There's always something new in New York, a constant that helps inspire a million Canadians a year to visit, says senior city tourism exec Reginald Charlot. MORE
TRANSAT CELEBRATES ROOKIE CAMP GRADS
Transat staff may not have got much sleep, but the reward was a successful inaugural ‘Rookie Camp’ in Mexico, which saw 100 travel advisors from across the country graduate with honours. MORE
CARNIVAL BOOSTS BOOKING TOOL FOR AGENTS
Carnival Cruise Line is introducing a series of new features to its online booking tool for travel advisors, GoCCL Navigator. The enhancements streamline the booking process, providing travel advisors with the tools and resources they need to maximize efficiency and improve their overall experience to support their business and income growth. MORE
AMERICAN AIRLINES TO LAUNCH QUEBEC CITY-CHARLOTTE ROUTE
American Airlines will launch new seasonal service between Quebec City and Charlotte, NC, on Aug. 10, with Saturday flights weekly through Nov. 2. MORE
MARRIOTT NAMES NEW CANADIAN EXECS
Marriott International has appointed two new members to its Canadian senior leadership team. Susie Grynol will join Marriott International as Market VP, Eastern Canada, while Keri Robinson will assume the position of Area VP, US Western Mountain Pacific and Western Canada, expanding her current responsibilities. MORE
100th ANNIVERSARY
Prince Rupert remembers role in first round-the-world flight
Four US Army airplanes arrived in Prince Rupert, BC, on April 6, 1924 – their first stop in what was the first-ever flight around the world, a historic 175-day journey crossing the Pacific, Indian and Atlantic Oceans. MORE