In last week’s new, highlights included accolades for YVR earned accolades in the prestigious Skytrax Awards survey and ACTA announced details, including the dates and host destination of its first international conference in decades. In other news, WestJet Encore avoided a strike, a precious landmark in Copenhagen was destroyed by fire.
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. But on Friday, Emirates said it would again halt local check-in for passengers, with the order lasting through the entire day into early Saturday as the UAE’s main airport worked to restore normal operations even as floodwater still covered portions of major highways and roads.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
American Airlines will launch new seasonal service between Quebec City and Charlotte, NC, on Aug. 10, with Saturday flights weekly through Nov. 2.
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.
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.
The winds of war notwithstanding, the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC)) is projecting a record-breaking year for Travel & Tourism in 2024, with the sector’s global economic contribution set to reach an all-time high of US$11.1 trillion.
About 800 airline food service staff at Toronto’s Pearson airport went on strike Tuesday, leaving thousands of passengers without meals. Gate Gourmet employees voted 96 percent against an offer from the Swiss-owned travel catering company on Monday night, Teamsters Canada said.
ACTA has announced its first international destination conference in decades, to take place in the Azores (Portugal) from Nov. 18-25, 2024.
The union representing WestJet Encore pilots says a tentative deal has been struck with their employer, days before the pilots had threatened to go on strike.
A notable shift towards smaller and more luxurious vessels, including yachts, among affluent travellers, is among the latest trends in cruising, according to independent travel agency First in Service (F1S).
Lynx Air says Sabre Corp. has “refused to assist” with passenger reimbursement for the now-defunct ultra-low-cost carrier, which ceased operations and filed for creditor protection in late February.
A new tourism strategy aimed at delivering authentic and memorable visitor experiences by celebrating Gaelic culture, heritage and language has been launched in Scotland. The new plan highlights an increasing interest in the Gaelic language and culture from both domestic and international visitors.
Pro-Palestinian demonstrators blocked roadways in Illinois, California, New York and the Pacific Northwest on Monday, temporarily shutting down travel into some of America’s most heavily used airports, onto the Golden Gate and Brooklyn bridges and on a busy West Coast highway.
Less than a week after re-instating flights between Canada and Israel, Air Canada cancelled service due to the weekend’s missile and drone attack against the country by Iran. Air Canada stated on its website that operations to Tel Aviv were “paused” with flights cancelled on Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday. At press time, the carrier said the next scheduled flight is now Thursday, April 16.
Calling American Airlines’ decision to award loyalty points only to clients that book directly or through a small number of “preferred agencies a “punitive measure” against travel agencies that choose to use third-party booking platforms, the World Travel Agents Associations Alliance (WTAAA) warns the policy is “a threat to the travel agent ecosystem.”
Onvigo says it’s a host agency with a “twist.” The brainchild of Chippy Jegathesan, CEO of Canadian consolidator Voyzant, the enterprise recently launched with a “no fees, no (social) barriers” model designed to “empower individuals from all backgrounds to thrive in the travel industry.” The agency also aims to equally appeal to existing independent agents, those who may have been “away” for a while during the pandemic, and especially individuals looking to join the industry.
Discover The Palm Beaches (DTPB), the tourism marketing organization for Palm Beach County, Fla., has created a new resource to help travel professionals learn, sell, engage with, and promote The Palm Beaches.
The Grande Prairie Airport has received $140,000 from the Alberta provincial government to explore renovations that could include adding customs and the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA). The money will fund a Canadian Border Services Agency Facilities Study.
Small-ship luxury cruise Windstar Cruises is expanding its fleet with the addition of two all-suite motor yachts, Star Seeker and Star Explorer. The first of the two ships, new-build Star Seeker, is expected to be delivered in December of 2025, followed by Star Explorer in December, 2026.
Toronto’s airports authority has announced a multibillion-dollar plan to update and modernize Toronto Pearson Airport. The program will see the refurbishment of existing airport assets, including high-speed taxi lanes, a modernized airfield electric lighting and control system, and interim terminal facilities.