Dubbing it the start of “an exciting new era,” Flight Centre Travel Group’s Independent division is launching a new principal brand to the market – one it promises will “provide a true heart and home for independent travel agents and agencies.” And one it says will it help it become a “global powerhouse” for independent travel advisors.
Air Transat announced Monday that 62.7% of its flight attendants have voted in favour of ratifying a new collective agreement and effectively lifting the strike threat, thereby putting an end to the uncertainty for travellers.
Private jets and international business class reservations are enjoying a huge upswing among Canadian business and luxury leisure travel clients of First in Service (F1S), according to the independent travel agency group.
The stars were out in Texas on Saturday as Carnival Cruise Line celebrated the naming of its new flagship Carnival Jubilee, pop start Gwen Stefani was honoured as the ship’s godmother, and Feb. 24 was declared “Carnival Jubilee Day” by Galveston Mayor Craig Brown – all on the same day that marked the 100th birthday of the late Ted Arison, Carnival Cruise Line’s founder.
Hilton has announced LivSmart Studios by Hilton as the official name of its new studio apartment-style, extended-stay hotel brand. Built to accommodate guest stays of 20 nights or more, the lower midscale, extended‑stay solution already has more than 350 deals in various stages of negotiation.
Nevada regulators have issued the first license to operate a lounge – in Las Vegas – where cannabis can be consumed recreationally, marking the first of what are expected to be dozens of such operations and marking what one company owner says is “a platform… where tourists and locals alike can be a part of a new chapter in the evolution of hospitality.”
The local travel industry – and even some from afar – were out in full force at the Outdoor Adventure Show, held over the weekend at the International Centre in Toronto. Exhibitors included travel agents and tour ops (Merit, Intrepid, G Adventures), suppliers (air and cruise lines) and international destinations from the Caribbean to US, and Africa to Asia – and of course, across Canada.
Aviation experts say it was just a matter of time before one of Canada’s new low-cost carriers became unable to fly. With recent well documented reports of financial issues at Flair Airlines, it is perhaps more unexpected that Lynx Air was the first to fall in the crowded low-cost marketplace.
Passengers booked with Lynx Air were left scrambling over the weekend to replace cancelled flights after the ultra-low-cost airline announced Thursday evening that it is ceasing operations effective today after filing for creditor protection.
Expedia Group says its TAAP Spring Sale is the ideal opportunity for travel advisors to drive bookings, boost sales, and earn commission during the high demand associated with spring break travel. Through the sale period, agents can access at least 25% off for many popular travel destinations plus qualify for personal book-to-win incentives.
Representatives from Virginia Beach Convention & Visitors Bureau (CVB) touched down in Montreal last week to share the latest destination news and connect with travel agents, tour operators, and travel media. The event featured dinner and an immersive mural painting activity designed to offer a taste of the coastal city’s eclectic ViBe creative district.
Surpassing all previous records, the Bahamas welcomed over 9.64 million visitors in 2023, marking a historic milestone the Caribbean nation. The figure represents a 38% increase over 2022 and a 33% increase compared to the previous 2019 record.
The Eiffel Tower reopened to visitors on Sunday after a six-day closure because of striking employees demanding better maintenance of the historic landmark, showing traces of rust, and salary hikes. The operator of the 330-metre tower said it reached an agreement with unions representing the workers after promising to allocate an “ambitious 380-million euro (about $412 million) investment by 2031” for renovation work.
It was a bad week for bankruptcies: In the bombshell of the week, Lynx Air announced it was ceasing operations, and a US-based cruise line blamed the pandemic for its demise. In other round-up news, StatsCan said the price of air fares is dropping, American Airlines gave the proverbial middle finger to travel advisors, Air Canada unveiled a land link between airports in Ontario, and Royal Caribbean revealed plans for its next ship.
UPDATED: Officials with the Calgary-based ultra low cost carrier Lynx Air announced Thursday evening that it is ceasing operations, effective at 12:01 a.m. MT on Feb. 26, 2024, after filing for creditor protection. Lynx Air has advised passengers with existing bookings to contact their credit card company to secure refunds for pre-booked travel.
A new study by Blue Cross says Canadians are still eager to travel and, buoyed by an optimistic attitude are finding creative and cost-efficient ways to do so in the face of rising – and the perception of rising – prices.
In move to improve regional connectivity for passengers, Air Canada has launched a pilot project connecting passengers from John C. Munro Hamilton International Airport and the Region of Waterloo International Airport in southern Ontario to its hub at Toronto Pearson via luxury motorcoach.
United Airlines says it plans to resume flights to Israel next month, reviving a route that was suspended in October at the start of the Israel-Hamas war. The airline said Wednesday that it will start flights from Newark, New Jersey, to Tel Aviv with a stop in Munich on March 2 and March 4.
From traditional rustic wooden cabins to avant-garde culinary experiences, sugar shacks come in many forms. Long wooden tables draped with checkered tablecloths set the stage for a hearty Québécois meal where almost every dish is bathed in maple syrup. Besides serving up delicious food, sugar shacks are a social hub for friends and family – and a favourite for visitors to La Belle province.
Has the Four Seasons Yachts project hit the rocks? The mystery persists in the wake of the abrupt resignations of cruise superstar Larry Pimentel, who was President and CEO, along with co-founder Philip Levine from the company developing ultra-luxury ships in a partnership with Four Seasons Hotels & Resorts.
Women in matching checkered aprons, headscarves, and a rainbow of running shoes limbered up as they prepared for the centuries-old pancake race in the English country town Olney. They rolled their shoulders in unison, raised up on their toes and did squats before stepping to the starting line – frying pans in hand.
Dave Matthews… backed by Dead & Company (remnants of The Grateful Dead)… playing the Bob Dylan classic “All Along the Watchtower”… via Jimi Hendrix… What more, I ask you, could you ask for?
After a milestone year for the industry in 2023, resulting in the busiest and least interrupted year for business travel in over four years, and with traveller confidence on the rise, FCM Consulting is predicting another big year for business travel in 2024.
ACTA says its is deeply concerned and “strongly objects” to American Airlines’ decision to limit traveller loyalty points accrual to direct bookings and a select group of travel agencies – a move it says “effectively marginalizes a vast number of travel agencies and travel advisors.”
There was certainly no shortage of top-of-mind topics at Atout France’s annual Canadian roadshow this week – a four-city tour that winds up in Vancouver Thursday after gala event in Montreal, Toronto, and Calgary. After all, the Summer Olympic Games awaits the starters gun July 26 in Paris, D-Day will be thoughtfully remembered in Normandy on its milestone 80th anniversary on June 6, and the long-awaited re-opening of Paris’s landmark Notre Dame Cathedral is scheduled for Dec. 8 (it was famously devastated by fire 2019).
MSC Cruises’ new “Open Booking” program allows guests to make a future holiday at-sea reservation without the need to commit to a particular vessel, itinerary or sailing date. The initiative complements MSC’s ‘Future Cruise’ program. Notably, travel advisors who made the original cruise reservation will also receive full commission on the new cruise once the ship and sail date is selected.
American Queen Voyages (AQV) says that “despite great efforts” it has been forced to shut down and all future cruises have been cancelled.
A New York City man who admitted to smuggling three Burmese pythons in his pants through a US-Canadian border crossing has been sentenced to a year of probation and fined $5,000, US federal prosecutors said.
When it comes to public relations, standing out from the crowd is critical to making a lasting impact. Amidst the noise of competing messages and attention-grabbing campaigns, one strategy reigns supreme: personalization.
American Airlines says that starting with tickets issued on May 1, customers will have to buy tickets directly from the airline or its partner carriers, or from preferred online travel agencies, if they want to earn points in its AAdvantage loyalty program. The airline said it will list the preferred travel agencies in late April. Corporate travellers won’t be affected.