The Travel Industry Council of Ontario (TICO) has announced the members of its two new advisory councils – the Consumer Advisory Council (CAC) and Industry Advisory Council (IAC). Part of a contentious review and reorganization of the provincial regulator, the bodies were mandated following “Minister’s Orders” in August 2023.
Ensemble went off the charts, CAA is minding the (knowledge) gap, and SkyTeam named its Canadian honour roll of travel partners in this week’s round-up.
A strike by over 800 workers at a catering company could mean no food and beverages on many flights out of Toronto Pearson Airport this month. The job action could begin as early as April 16, according to Teamsters Local Union 647.
When Boeing boss David Calhoun steps down at the end of the year, he’ll be forgoing compensation that in 2023 was valued at US$33 million. Admittedly the figure – nearly all of it in stock awards – will be cut by nearly a fourth in 2024, but will still total approximately $25 million.
Drink it or bin it: That phrase should have become history this summer at all UK airports.
Travel means so much to some Canadians that one in 10 are willing to skip their housing payments to do so, according to a recent Flight Centre Travel Group survey. And while those decisions may be hopeful for the travel business, it’s also a risky financial strategy that warrants caution, admits the travel company.
With 180 hotels open and nearly 90 hotels in the pipeline – including the imminent launch of its Spark and Motto brands – Hilton says it is accelerating development efforts in Canada with plans to expand its portfolio of hotels by 50% over the next five years.
WestJet has announced additions to its Winnipeg network, featuring new year-round, daily service to Montreal, as well as increased, daily, year-round service to Ottawa, beginning June 3. The airline also announced new seasonal service between Winnipeg and Nashville, set to take off on Sept. 16.
During the month of April, travel advisors can earn an extra 1% bonus commission on all new bookings made with Unique Vacations Inc. or on the Sandals Travel Agent Portal to any Sandals or Beaches resort in Jamaica, Bahamas, Curaçao or Saint Vincent. Agents could also win a trip to the new Sandals Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, which opened its doors on March 27.
In response to a “wish list” survey of past cruisers earlier this year, Avalon Waterways says it will introduce a series of new, longer cruises, checking in at 10 days and more to meet interest and demand.
A Southwest Airlines jet returned to Denver Sunday morning after the engine cover fell off and struck the wing flap during takeoff, according to the Federal Aviation Administration. The Boeing 737 landed safely, and the passengers headed to Houston were being put onto another aircraft, Southwest Airlines said in a statement.
After almost 20 years, a man has been convicted of the murder of a British police officer who was shot dead during an armed robbery of a travel agency in northern England in 2005.
A new Caribbean tourism group founded by the Caribbean Tourism Organization’s former Canadian BDM has launched in Canada. One Caribbean Canada is the brainchild of Nancy Drolet, who has assembled an inaugural list of 18 destinations and several hotels in the region, with the notion of banding together to better promote the Caribbean in this country.
The authority overseeing the Montreal airport plans to spend nearly $4 billion in a bid to reduce congestion and ramp up capacity at the country’s second-biggest flight hub. The announcement comes after rising passenger volumes and surging car traffic last summer prompted a wave of frustration among travellers trying to make their planes on time.
National Tourism Week (NTW) – April 15-19 – is coming up. The campaign is orchestrated by the Tourism Industry Association of Canada (TIAC) and billed as a crucial platform for highlighting the pivotal role of tourism in Canada.
Spring training for ball players may be over, but it’s continuing for travel advisors, with Transat’s inaugural ‘Rookie Camp’ taking place this week in Mexico. The exclusive training initiative for new travel professionals, which the travel company calls “unprecedented” in Canada, is aimed at agents with less than three years’ experience and represents a “significant step forward in Transat’s ongoing commitment to nurturing talent and fostering growth within the travel industry.”
The adults-only Hyatt Vivid Hotels & Resorts brand has debuted with the opening of Hyatt Vivid Grand Island in Cancun, Mexico. The newest resort in Hyatt’s Inclusive Collection marks the continued growth of Hyatt’s brand footprint in Mexico with additional openings to follow later this year.
A bull elephant charged a truck that a 79-year-old American was riding in with other tourists on a game drive in a Zambian national park, flipping over the vehicle and killing her, a safari company said. The attack injured five others on March 30 in the vast Kafue National Park, which covers 22,400 sq. km. and is one of Africa’s largest animal reserves.
NEXUS rates are set to go up substantially in the Fall; WestJet Encore pilots are closer to striking; a landmark hotel is leaving Las Vegas, and there’s a new man set to take the helm at Brand USA – all this and more in this week’s round-up of last week’s news.
Despite an advisory for pilots, Canadian airlines say travellers won’t see their flight times affected by Monday’s total solar eclipse, though passengers should protect their eyes during the astronomical event.
Air Canada’s inaugural Singapore flight (from Vancouver) – which landed Thursday morning – is the airline’s longest flight measured by distance (12,818 km) with a flying time of up to 16 hours and five minutes.
Remember the old days? Get to the Sunquest launch before all the roast beef sandwiches (or Jamaican patties) are gone was the common refrain. How things have changed.
Baseball’s back! And for some, that means summer road trips to fun cities or famous diamonds like Fenway Park or Wrigley Stadium, sometimes paired with following their favourite teams, or perhaps just the love of the game. After all, sports and travel go together like peanuts and Cracker Jack.
It’s a long way from Queen Victoria to Doja Cat (a rapper), but Madame Tussauds is pulling back the curtain to provide a glimpse into the research process that may culminate in the iconic attractions’ next wax models.
Has Celebrity Cruises evolved to the point where the ship can be the destination? We’re about to find out on a cruise aboard the new Celebrity Ascent, which offers a range of daily activities for every age and interest. But is it right for you? Here’s a look at the ups (and some downs) on Celebrity’s newest addition.
You may have heard there’s a total eclipse coming on Monday. With this in mind, it seems appropriate to dust off “Total Eclipse of the Heart”, the song by husky-voiced Welsh chanteuse Bonnie Tyler, but notably written by inimitable Meat Loaf collaborator Jim Steinman after the two split.
Satisfying nearly nine months of avid curiosity in the trade, Fred Dixon has emerged as the choice to be the new CEO of Brand USA, the US’s important destination marketing organization. Currently President and CEO of NYC Tourism + Conventions, the well-known Dixon will succeed Chris Thompson on July 15.
A group of U.S. House Republicans wants to rename Washington Dulles International Airport after Donald Trump. The airport is currently named for John Foster Dulles, a former Secretary of State who fought against communism during the early stages of the Cold War.
Coinciding with Earth Month in April, Air Canada is raising awareness about the illegal wildlife trade (IWT) and its impact on global biodiversity. Building on its partnership with the Jane Goodall Institute of Canada (JGIC), the campaign is featuring on the airline’s in-flight entertainment and social media and Aeroplan will launch a points match week in support of the Jane Goodall Institute of Canada from April 22 to 28.
With MSC Cruises’ new vessel ‘World America’ scheduled to set sail from its homeport in Miami in April 2025, and cruises already available to book, MSC continues to reveal detail of its new flagship.