The World Food Travel Association (WFTA), the world’s leading authority on food and beverage tourism, has released its “2024 State of the Industry – Food & Beverage Tourism” report, which is available as a free download. The report is the WFTA’s annual bellwether assessment and analysis of the food and beverage tourism industry (also known as culinary tourism or gastronomy tourism).
IPW kicked off on the weekend with Los Angeles welcoming 5,700 delegates at the California city’s latest incarnation of US Travel’s largest inbound travel show, though first in 12 years. A delegation of over 100 Canadian trade and media (including Travel Industry Today) began trickling in late last week for weekend events and Saturday’s opening night gala at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.
WestJet has issued a 72-hour lockout notice to the union representing its mechanics, and warns a work stoppage could happen as early as Tuesday. The Calgary-based airline says in a statement that the decision follows an announcement of a strike vote by the Aircraft Mechanics Fraternal Association, which represents approximately 670 aircraft maintenance engineers and skilled trade groups with the carrier.
The leading players of Travel & Tourism globally have published a landmark joint report setting out their joint plan to help halt and reverse biodiversity loss. The project marks a new collaborative era in the sector says the partner, which launched “Nature Positive Travel & Tourism in Action” in April in conjunction with Earth Month.
Southwest Airlines is studying changes to its quirky boarding and seating policies as it searches for ways to raise more revenue. Airline officials say they are studying possible changes but won’t have anything to announce until September. That tease is leading to speculation about whether Southwest might ditch some longstanding traditions, including the practice of passengers picking their own seats only after they board a plane.
As jurisdictions like Venice increasingly look to regulate visitors to help solve local problems, Spain’s drought-stricken Catalonia is considering imposing water restrictions on tourists in the driest parts of the region if domestic consumption is not curtailed. The restriction of 100 litres per tourist per day for hotels would go into effect if a municipality fails to keep domestic water use by residents below established limits for three consecutive months under the current “drought emergency” for the northeastern region.
Madonna put on a free concert on Copacabana beach Saturday night, turning Rio de Janeiro’s vast stretch of sand into an enormous dance floor teeming with a multitude of her fans. It was the last show of The Celebration Tour, her first retrospective, which kicked off in October in London.
Air Canada dropped new seat selection fees (for now), ACTA opened nominations for its annual awards and Dubai announced it is planning a $35-billion airport and urban growth project. In other round-up from last week, food service workers went back to work at Pearson, but Transat flight dispatchers voted for a strike mandate. Meanwhile, travel advisors received the seal of approval from CLIA for their outsized influence in cruise bookings.
Canadians’ diminishing appetite for post-pandemic travel helped nudge Air Canada to an $81-million first quarter loss, though the company boosted passenger revenues by nearly 11 percent year over year in the quarter ended March 31. The airline also says it is seeing “very strong signals” on business travel on the horizon.
In a mad mix of game-show glitter and marketing flash, Airbnb is offering customers a chance to spend a night in a Paris museum, stay in houses mocked up to look like movie settings, or sleep surrounded by eight Ferrari racing cars. Those and other chimerical listings are part of a splashy new campaign by the short-term rental giant, which wants to portray itself as a company that sells experiences and not just alternatives to staying in a hotel.
Around 30 men are crammed into a Kabul classroom, part of the debut student cohort at a Taliban-run institute training tourism and hospitality professionals. The students vary in age, education level and professional experience. They’re all men – Afghan women are banned from studying beyond sixth grade – and they don’t know anything about tourism or hospitality. But they are all eager to promote a different side of Afghanistan. And the Taliban are happy to help.
In visit to Halifax this week, WestJet Group CEO Alexis von Hoensbroech detailed the airline’s efforts and growth strategy in the region, including the resumption of transatlantic service, increased service to popular sun destinations in the winter, and enhanced east-to-west domestic air service to connect Canadians from coast-to-coast.
Amid accusations that a man struck a wolf with a snowmobile, taped its mouth shut and showed off the injured animal at a Wyoming bar before killing it, wildlife advocates are leading a call for a boycott by tourists of the conservative ranching state over laws that give people wide leeway to kill gray wolves with little oversight.
When MSC Cruises’ World America enters service in 2025, it will feature Cliffhanger, the only over-water swing ride at sea. The swing will tower above the new US flagship’s top deck, promising adrenaline junkies a one-of-a-kind, edge-of-your-seat thrill as their view oscillates between the water below and the sky above.
One of the things I most love is receiving recommendations from readers, often introducing bands I’ve never heard of. This week I offer we-are-not-worthy plaudits to Visit Fort Lauderdale’s Paul Mason, who urged me by to check out Leonid & Friends, an amazing band he was going to see.
From unrealistic expectations of candidates – such as higher wages and the ability to travel everywhere, all the time, for free – to the wider public simply not knowing that the profession still exists, travel agencies are struggling to find new blood to replace lost and retiring staff in order to keep up with surging travel demand from consumers.
Air Canada has launched new – and free – motorcoach service connecting southern Ontario’s Hamilton-Wentworth and Kitchener/Waterloo Regions to Toronto Pearson International Airport, at the same time enabling customers to create a single itinerary when booking travel with Air Canada through YYZ.
“Mexico City is always a good idea,” would be my geographical manipulation of a quote attributed to Audrey Hepburn, reflecting on the best-known capital city in the world (Paris). Yet, barely five hours’ flying time from Toronto (and marginally longer from YVR), there is another gem of a capital city powerfully reflecting the character and culture of the great country of Mexico.
Global Travel Agent Month has kicked off with a flurry of supplier incentives for May – and, in some cases, beyond – designed to profess recognition and appreciation of the invaluable work done throughout the entire year by travel advisors. While the list is lengthy – everyone loves travel agents after all! – here is a sampling of just some of the perks that are available.
Tourists were evacuated by air from Kenya’s Maasai Mara national reserve Wednesday after more than a dozen hotels, lodges and camps were flooded as heavy rains battered the country. Tourist accommodation facilities were submerged after a river within the Maasai Mara broke its banks. The reserve, in southwestern Kenya, is a popular tourist destination because it features the annual wildebeest migration from the Serengeti in Tanzania.
Universal Orlando Resort will debut DreamWorks Land on June 14 – a new themed environment inspired by DreamWorks Animation’s characters Shrek, Trolls, and Kung Fu Panda. Located in the Universal Studios Florida theme park, the expansive area will feature a family-friendly coaster, multiple interactive play areas, live entertainment, character meet and greets, and more.
Cayo Largo, a Cuban island consisting of many all-inclusive resorts, has beautifully maintained its natural splendor of pristine beaches, crystal-clear waters, and protected wildlife. Any vacationer seeking a tropical getaway that blends serenity with nature and plenty of opportunities for exploration will find what they’re looking for on this small but mighty island.
Air Canada as pressed pause on a new seat selection fee a mere couple of days after it implemented the policy. For years, customers with economy fares have been able to change the seat automatically assigned to them at check-in free of charge. However, travel agents received notice from the company this month that lower-tier passengers who had not purchased a seat in advance would have to pay a fee to change their automatically designated spot, starting April 24.
Almost three quarters (73%) of cruise passengers say that travel advisors had a meaningful influence on their decision to travel, according to Cruise Lines International Association’s recently released 2024 State of the Cruise Industry report, which also notably revealed that 2023 passenger volume reached 31.7 million – surpassing 2019 by seven percent.
Another round of labour trouble is threatening to disrupt Air Transat, with the company’s 28 airline dispatchers in a position to strike, having voted for a strike mandate to protest what the union says is “disappointing progress” in labour talks. No Air Transat aircraft can depart without the approval of a flight plan by a flight dispatcher, though no strike date has been announced.
As travel advisors across the country celebrate Travel Agent Day today (May 01), here’s the latest from The Travel Agent Next Door (TTAND) and Royal Caribbean, Ensemble, and First in Service (F1S), plus some travel agent day/month specials from suppliers designed to make agents’ lives just a little bit better.
With 100 years of experience and a host of diverse brands, from Trafalgar to Contiki, Brendan Vacations, Costsaver, Insight Vacations and Luxury Gold, TTC Tour Brands says it knows a little about recognizing and making the most of booking trends. To that end, the company is offering its insight ahead of the busy summer travel window, suggesting a series of strategies that travel advisors can implement to positively impact the season.
Expedia Group is celebrating Global Travel Advisor Day today (May 1) by hosting a number of events across the world, including Canada, to show appreciation for its Expedia TAAP (Travel Agent Affiliate Program) partners. Overall, Expedia Group will be hosting 16 events across three continents.
MSC Cruises Canada has announced the appointment of Facinet Yansane as Business Development Manager for Western and Central Canada, based in Vancouver. Originally from Conakry, Guinea, Yansane joined MSC Cruises Canada in January 2023 as a bilingual cruise consultant.
Dubai International Airport, the world’s busiest for international travel, will move its operations to the city-state’s second, sprawling airfield in its southern desert reaches “within the next 10 years” in a project worth nearly US$35 billion, its ruler said Sunday. Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum’s announcement marks the latest chapter in the rebound of its long-haul carrier Emirates after the coronavirus pandemic grounded international travel.