The Sunshine State has made significant investments in improving accessibility for travellers. With extensive resources for people with special needs, visitors of all ages and abilities can participate in and enjoy experiences across the state. Here are just some of the ways Florida partners aim to help.
Princess Cruises says its Alaska season for 2026 will be its biggest ever. Highlighted by the debut of the newest ship in its fleet, Star Princess, the program will feature eight ships, 180 departures, and 19 destinations, with a robust roster of Alaska adventures by sea, land, or both.
Experts say airfares may go up in the immediate aftermath of a hailstorm that tore through Calgary last week, damaging planes at WestJet and Flair Airlines and upending travel plans for thousands of passengers. Hailstones as big as golf balls pummelled the airport tarmac, forcing both airlines to ground 10 percent of their fleets for repairs and inspections.
With the peak of the hurricane season “right around the corner,” forecasters continue to predict that 2024 will be a highly active hurricane season. Moreover, thanks to near-record sea surface temperatures and the possibility of La Nina, the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s updated hurricane outlook says the season that could rank among the busiest on record.
Air Canada may be the official carrier of Team Canada, but that didn’t stop the Paris Olympics from hobbling its summer sales. Despite Canadians’ continued thirst for Mediterranean getaways, the airline’s transatlantic ticket proceeds suffered in its latest quarter as travellers from France and Germany opted to stay on the Continent to soak up the Olympics as well as Euro 2024, and many Canadians decided to avoid France during the Games.
Sandals is reminding travel advisors that its Masterclass webinar series is still in session with five final classes still to come in 2024. Taking place in August – including Aug. 14 in Alberta – the two-hour live sessions are led by national training manager Lorna Richards and offer agents key strategies to help drive growth in their Sandals and Beaches Resorts business.
A man who says he broke his ankle jumping into the sprinkle pool at the Museum of Ice Cream in New York City has filed a lawsuit alleging that the facility was negligent for not warning visitors that it is unsafe to jump into the p
WestJet says the repercussions of a freak hailstorm continue to cause cancellations in Calgary, while NCL hailed members of the Canadian military with special rates in this week’s round-up. Among the other news, Canada is getting a new insurance player, Dubai tourism is going gangbusters, the Cuba tourist board is inviting adventurous agents on a FAM, and Olympic hero Summer McIntosh has a golden experience going through customs in Toronto.
When it’s time for drivers in Ontario to head out on the highway for summer holidays, or rev up that rental car, it would be wise to remember that a majority of the province’s own drivers admit to engaging in risky and unsafe driving behaviours, according to a recent study on dangerous driving conducted by CAA South Central Ontario (CAA SCO).
Building on extensive flight access from Toronto and Montreal, Air Canada Vacations has introduced a new guided tours program for Colombia, featuring year-round tours and immersive experiences that cover the South American nation’s pristine coasts, natural marvels and colonial towns.
Travelling to destinations where you don’t speak the local language can leave you lost in translation. Communicating in the local language helps advance cultural exchange and improves engagement with locals. Overcoming language barriers increases the ability of travellers to immerse themselves in the local culture.
When last August’s deadly wildfire tore through Lahaina on Maui, the wall of flames scorched the 151-year-old banyan tree along the historic town’s Front Street. But the sprawling tree – a beloved symbol of the town – survived the blaze, and thanks to the efforts of arborists and dedicated volunteers, parts of it are growing back – and even thriving.
A Chinese American teen is vying to become the youngest person to fly solo to all seven continents in a quest that also aims to drum up donations for research into childhood cancer.
Everyone’s been here, but hardly anyone’s ever seen it. You’ve visited Civitavecchia if you’ve ever cruised to Rome, but I’ll bet it left no impression as you hit the highway for the hour’s ride to the Eternal City.
One of rock’s greatest singers, Steven Tyler, has called it quits, succumbing to permanently damaged vocal cords, of which Aerosmith says, “it is clear that a full recovery is not possible.” The band’s legendary frontman injured his vocal cords while on tour in September and said at the time that the injury caused bleeding, but that he hoped the band would be back after postponing a few shows.
WestJet says cancellations and delays across its network will continue for the “foreseeable future” as it recovers from damage caused by an unprecedented hailstorm in Calgary on Monday night. As a result of the storm, 16 WestJet aircraft – 10 percent of its fleet – are grounded as they require substantial repairs and inspections before returning to service.
Europ Assistance (EA), a subsidiary of the Generali Group, one of the largest global insurance and asset management providers, has officially launched operations in Canada with the introduction of a comprehensive new travel insurance platform. The expansion marks EA’s 36th operational market and second in North America, joining Generali Global Assistance in the United States.
Air Canada saw its profits fall by half even while its revenue rose in its latest quarter, as the country’s largest airline struggled to complete the final stages of its recovery from COVID-19.
Malayan tigers and Aldabra tortoises are native to hot and humid lands, but that doesn’t mean they don’t enjoy a frozen treat on a hot Florida summer day. Temperatures in South Florida this month have reached the upper 90s Fahrenheit (mid-30s Celsius) with humidity reaching 70%, combining for “feels like” temperatures regularly exceeding 100 F (38 C).
Hotel workers in three of Quebec’s largest cities are set to walk off the job today (Thursday) in the middle of the busy summer tourist season. The one-day strike will affect 23 hotels in the Montreal region, Quebec City and Sherbrooke, and will include more than 2,600 workers.
Viking has launched a new and improved travel advisor portal designed to provide advisors with the tools and resources needed to sell the cruise line’s river, ocean and expedition voyages. The updated platform offers a comprehensive suite of features to enhance the booking experience and streamline the marketing process.
A new survey of experienced travellers has revealed that women value travel experiences over material possessions at nearly twice the rate as men. Three out of four women (77%) surveyed indicated that travel experiences hold greater importance than acquiring material goods, a 40% higher rate than 55% of men who feel the same way.
Norwegian Cruise Line has expanded its Military Appreciation Program to include active Canadian service members, veterans, and their dependents from the Canadian Army, Royal Canadian Navy, Royal Canadian Air Force and Canadian Coast Guard. Eligible members of the Canadian armed forces will receive special onboard experiences, amenities, and a 10 percent cruise fare discount across all sailings on all ships throughout the entire NCL fleet.
As part of the recent Aviation Career Exploration (ACE) week in Edmonton, Elevate Aviation and Air Canada invited a group of 17 women from diverse backgrounds in the city to be introduced to the Aircraft Maintenance Engineer (AME) profession as part of a Women Employment skills training program.
As Club Med continues to expand in North America and worldwide, the all-inclusive resort chain has named Jacinda Lowry as Associate Vice President of Sales in Canada with an “ambitious” mandate of gaining market share in the English Canada, and particularly Ontario. Toronto-based Lowry moves into the post from her current position as meetings and events sales director Canada.
For the owners of Chrono Aviation, opening a new passenger route to Iqaluit isn’t necessarily about selling the most tickets. Chrono’s passenger service between Montreal and the capital of Nunavut took off this week (Aug. 6), with planes making the round trip twice a week.
The avenues, monuments and gardens in the park surrounding Sanssouci Palace, a sprawling green oasis in the heart of the German city of Potsdam and a UNESCO world heritage site, look as magnificent as ever. But a closer look shows that all is not well with the park’s trees, which increasingly are struggling with the effects of climate change.
Tropical Storm Debby reached Florida’s gulf coast early Monday as a hurricane, bringing with it catastrophic flooding as it slowly passed over the northern part of the state. It was later downgraded to a tropical storm, but forecasters warned that record-setting rain could pummel coastal Georgia and South Carolina in the coming days as the system heads east.
Global Affairs Canada is again telling Canadians to avoid all travel to Israel and also warning that those wishing to leave should not count on the Canadian government to help them. Issued over the weekend, the advisory cited the unpredictable security situation in the region due to ongoing conflicts said that an escalation in the armed conflict in Israel could affect people’s ability to leave the country on commercial flights.
When Penny Martin walked into Toronto’s Sheraton Centre last Thursday, she thought she was standing in for Flemming Friisdahl at an Air Canada event that he had said he couldn’t attend due to other commitments. Was she surprised when a roomful of travel types yelled “SURPRISE?” You bet. And, an even bigger and better surprise, her son and sister had flown into town for her retirement party from The Travel Agent Next Door.