Molly Brandt, executive chef for in-flight catering company Gate Gourmet, sees her role as similar to that of a fashion designer creating haute couture. Her tasting events for airline clients are similar to a runway show, she said, in that she unveils one-of-a-kind menu items that have taken months to develop.
The names roll off the tongue will familiarity: Venice, Malibu, Santa Monica… The world-famous beach cities of Los Angeles offer sun, sand and surf, along with wellness and outdoor recreation, street art and shopping, nightlife, and some of the best cuisine found in Los Angeles. They also offer another, sometimes unexpected, side of the US’s second largest metropolis, help reduce the city to manageable – and marvellous.
Breaching whales, polar bears on the prowl, other-worldly landscapes and cultures whose traditions date back to pre-history. No summer travel destination can give you an entirely new view of the world like an Arctic experience. I can vouch for that because a Northwest Passage crossing I did on the luxury expedition ship Seabourn Venture last year is still inspiring my dreams.
Even the biggest rock bands in the world had to start somewhere and, in this case, the year was 1978 and a first-ever appearance on Irish TV captured a teenage Paul David Hewson and David Howell Evans in their formative years, showing their chops, if not the style, that soon took them to the top of the pops.
Another day, another strike deadline – this time by screening officers at Toronto Pearson airport, who have set Saturday at midnight for labour action, according to a report in the Toronto Star. Until then, the private company that employs the workers, Garda World, says that negotiations will continue with the union representing 2,800 workers.
Four in 10 Canadians travellers (40%) – and even more in Quebec (45%) – plan to plan to book their next vacation with the help of a travel professional, according to new research by Transat Distribution Canada. The survey, conducted by Ipsos, shows a significant increase over 2023, when 31% of Canadian and 38% of Quebec customers registered similar sentiment.
Most visitors – including Canadians – see Hawaii as a safe and secure destination, according to the islands’ latest Visitor Satisfaction and Activity Survey (VSAT), which surveyed visitors from multiple destinations who visited Hawaii in the fourth quarter of 2023. More than 90% of visitors from all markets rated Hawaii as “excellent” or “above average” when it comes to being a safe and secure destination, including 99.0% from Canada.
Air Canada Vacations is encouraging the trade travel to help it support the 401 Bike Challenge, which benefits the Pediatric Oncology departments at Toronto SickKids, Ottawa CHEO and Montreal Children’s hospitals. ACV is the title sponsor of the event, which takes place Aug. 14-16.
Intrepid Travel is accelerating its strategic expansion plans into new verticals, which includes accommodation, with the announced the appointment of French hotel veteran Celine Hurelle to lead its expansion into the sector.
Kimpton Hotels is headed for Hawaii with the IHG brand’s first property in the islands. Following a historically sensitive restoration of the landmark Coco Palms resort in Kauai – known as a premier destination during the golden era of Hollywood, with such guests such as Elvis Presley, Rita Hayworth and Gene Autry – the Coco Palms, A Kimpton Resort is anticipated to open in 2026.
Olympia, London’s famed events venue – and original home of World Travel Market starting in 1980 – is putting on a new face. The nearly 140-year-old exhibition hall in West Kensington neighbourhood is being redeveloped into the in British capital’s newest cultural and entertainment destination and what is being called a “global landmark.”
WestJet mechanics say they are poised to walk off the job early as Thursday night after serving the airline with a 72-hour strike notice yesterday. In response, the airline has started cancelling and consolidating flights “in order to park aircraft in a safe and organized manner.”
From serene nature retreats to silent walking, the quest for quietude has become one of modern travel’s latest trends. Condé Nast Traveler said recently it was “the travel trend we’re most obsessed with this year.” For many, quiet travel goes beyond escaping the cacophony of everyday life while on vacation. It can be a shift toward introspection; a deeper connection with where we are both literally and figuratively.
Transat has pledged its support to Flash Forest, a Canadian aerial reforestation company whose mission is to rebuild healthy resilient forests at scale through a data-driven, biodiversity-centric, and community-led approach. By 2025, Transat says it will have helped finance the replanting of a forest devastated by wildfires, with over 70,000 trees or 48 hectares. This will allow for the sequestration of nearly 29,411 tonnes of CO2 over the course of the trees’ lifetime.
If there was only one takeaway for travel advisors from the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA) event in Burlington, Ont., this week, it was to recognize the overwhelming variety of the destination – a sentiment stated succinctly by Sarah Chensky of MGM Resorts, who said, “There’s a different Vegas for different people.”
Intrepid Travel has unveiled a new-look North American leadership team and that includes current Chief Customer Officer Leigh Barnes moving into the role of President of the Americas and Canadian travel industry stalwart Christian Wolters being appointed to a newly created position of President of Canada.
Ontario’s first Curio Collection by Hilton is now open, bringing a new level of flair to Toronto’s entertainment district. The theatrically themed, 224-room Revery Toronto Downtown is located at 92 Peter St., a short walk from the Princess of Wales and Royal Alexandra theatres, and the TIFF Lightbox.
A big, round, 4,000-year-old stone building discovered on a Cretan hilltop is puzzling archaeologists and threatening to disrupt a major airport project on the Greek tourist island.
A new report says travellers are paying significantly more to fly within Canada during peak tourism season compared with last year, as limited capacity and competition outweigh easing demand to push up ticket costs. Prices for domestic flights in July through September rose 14 percent on average over the past 12 months, according to figures from the Flight Centre Travel Group.
Delta Air Lines has been designated best airline in America for the sixth year in a row based on its reliability, experience, cost, reach, and loyalty offerings. The Best Airlines Report 2024 from respected travel media platform The Points Guy uses a weighted formula to evaluate objective data covering every aspect of a traveller’s journey with the airline, from the booking process to baggage delivery, as well as the system for earning and redeeming rewards for future trips.
Land of the “pura vida,” natural Costa Rica is a consistently top destination for Goway, with the popular Central American country favoured by clients alongside Peru in Latin America, as well as ranking in the tour company’s top 10 globally.
In this week’s round-up: Top Transat agents were feted in France; TTAND held its 10th annual – and first international – conference in Jordan; TRAVELSAVERS mulled ‘blended’ travel; TLN’s new tool for travel advisors (coming soon to Canada) is a SNAP; and Ensemble asked the question, “Tennis, anyone?”
Air Canada Vacations has launched a new Dubai guided tours program, creating further options for clients in the vibrant United Arab Emirates destination. The year-round tours are designed to feature immersive experiences while highlighting the flamboyant city’s modern architecture, luxurious lifestyle, premium shopping, and rich cultural heritage.
Westin Hotels and Resorts is unveiling a new version of its signature ‘Heavenly Bed.’ Developed in collaboration with leading sleep experts and guests, the next-gen bed “fortifies the brand’s mission and 360-degree wellness approach, empowering discerning travellers to not only maintain but enhance their well-being while travelling,” says the company.
Once a shrine to the world’s most popular soft drink, the building that housed the original World of Coca-Cola is going flat at the hands of Georgia’s state government. Crews are demolishing the onetime temple of fizz in downtown Atlanta near the state capitol, with plans to convert the site to a parking lot.
With the G7 summit in Italy having concluded on the weekend, new data from the Angus Reid Institute offers a window on Canadians current likes and dislikes when it comes to countries on the international stage. While opinions are based on politics and other general perceptions, not the viability of travel to or in the destination, the former can unquestionability colour choices for the latter.
WestJet Encore has averted a strike at the regional airline after pilots gave the green light to a deal with their employer. The Air Line Pilots Association says its members have ratified a five-year contract that offers higher pay, more flexible schedules and “a better work-life balance.”
Virtuoso has released survey findings that offer a glimpse into the preferences of the world’s luxury cruise passengers. Drawing on the insight of more than 300 professional travel advisors who specialize in cruising, Virtuoso found that 58% believe it will emerge as the strongest tourism sector in 2024-25, surpassing land-only experiences.
Cicada chaos is flourishing and flying. Emerging after 17 years underground, trillions of once-hidden baby bugs are in the air, on the trees and perching upon people’s shirts, hats and even faces. They’re red-eyed, loud and frisky.
Airports are demanding $4.1 million in unpaid fees and debt from the defunct discount carrier Lynx Air, which already faces more than $200 million in claims from creditors. In court filings, authorities for the Calgary, Vancouver, Edmonton, Halifax and Winnipeg airports asked for an order instructing Lynx to hand over airport improvement fees that the Alberta-based airline held in reserve.