DISTINGUISHED TRIO EARN US TRAVEL HONOURS

Travel industry leaders Roger Dow, former president and CEO of the US Travel Association, Elliott L. Ferguson, II, president and CEO of Destination DC, and Peter F. Herschend, co-founder of Herschend Enterprises, were inducted into the US Travel Association Hall of Leaders at a ceremony last week. Dow was the 2022 inductee while Ferguson and Herschend were the 2023 honorees.

DIGITAL DIGEST: Webinars – why and how?

Webinars have been around for a while and have become an essential communication tool for disseminating knowledge, promoting products, or connecting with a wider audience. What makes them great, due to their digital nature, is accessibility, cost-efficiency, and above all, interactivity.

FEDS LAUNCH NEW TOURISM GROWTH PROGRAM

With tourism to this country projected to grow significantly in the coming years, the federal government has launched an investment program that will provide $108 million over the next three years to support tourism projects across the country to help meet the goal of attracting 40% more visitors by the end of the decade.

WESTJET TO CONNECT REGINA, MINNEAPOLIS

WestJet has announced new, year-round, daily service connecting Regina and Minneapolis – service the airline says reflects its ongoing commitment to providing connectivity to Saskatchewan and further enhancing Regina’s air access to popular destinations. The flights will begin April 28, 2024.

LYNX STAKES CLAIM TO FLORIDA MARKET

With its latest launches to Florida over the weekend, low-cast Lynx says it is well on its way to its goal of offering nearly 10,000 seats in and out of the Sunshine State per week by December. On Saturday, the carrier took flight from Vancouver to Orlando, while on Friday Tampa service began from Montreal.

THE HUMAN TOUCH: Ensemble champions people power at conference

Ensemble recently hosted its annual Horizons conference in Las Vegas with more than 800 owners, managers, and advisors, as well as preferred partners, in attendance for the “human centric” extravaganza. It was the first time the entire consortium has been together since an acquisition and rehaul of the brand.

PUMP UP THE JAM: Jamaica brings island vibe to Canada Trade Week

The Jamaica Tourist Board (JTB) recently brought the spirit of the island to Canadian travel advisors and consumers during Canada Trade Week – a cross-country promotional campaign that included travel agent engagement events in Calgary, Montreal, and Toronto, followed by the first-ever Jamaica Travel Expo consumer event at the Pearson Convention Centre in Toronto.

ACAPULCO RACES TO RESTART TOURISM

The keyboard and drums from a musical show thump just yards from a mountain of storm debris and fractured hotels left by Hurricane Otis a month ago. On the northern end of Acapulco Bay, hairdressers and masseuses sweep branches from a beach as across the Pacific resort of Acapulco, residents work with a singular purpose: to restart the tourism engine of the city of one million people as soon as possible.

SNOWBIRDS SPREADING THEIR WINGS: U.S. no longer the only nest

Canadian snowbirds are increasingly spreading their wings. According to a recent survey conducted by Snowbird Advisor, the US is still the top destination by a wide margin for the lucky cohort who can escape a Canadian winter, but interest in international destinations is growing, particularly among newer snowbirds.

IT’S NOT US, IT’S YOU!: Agents feel the love from Cuba at Toronto gala

The Cuba Tourist Board thanked its agent partners for helping make Canada the country’s No. 1 market at a gala event late last week at Toronto’s Palais Royale – a glittering venue that Canadian tourist board director Lessner Gomez likened to Havana’s famed Tropicana cabaret, even if the weather outside wasn’t quite the same as on the Caribbean island.

HOW MUCH IS DISNEY WORTH TO FLORIDA?

As it battles Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and his appointees over their takeover of the district that governs the entertainment company’s massive theme park resort in central Florida, Disney has released a study that shows its economic impact in the state amounting to just over US$40 billion.

BLUE DIAMOND OPENS FIFTH JAMAICAN RESORT

Jamaica’s hotel boom continues with the official opening of Hideaway at Royalton Blue Waters, An Autograph Collection All-Inclusive Resort, an adults-only resort located in the heart of Montego Bay.

SADDLE UP: Horse hijinks disrupt flight over Atlantic

A cargo jet headed to Belgium from New York had to turn around mid-flight last week after a horse escaped its stall and got loose in the hold, according to air traffic control audio. The Boeing 747 operated by Air Atlanta Icelandic had just started its flight across the Atlantic Ocean when the pilot radioed air traffic control in Boston and said that a horse on board had escaped its stall.

ROUND-UP: Nov. 13-17, 2023

Is travel demand softening? And other headlines from last week: The Israel-Hamas war is having a global effect; Air Canada and WestJet are both boosting international flights; Sunwing is flying high at the start of the winter season; ACTA is urging a last call in its fight for TICO reform; G Adventure has a new luxe line of tours; and meet Canada’s new Canadian director for VisitBritain.

DIFFERING OPINIONS: Is the air travel market levelling off?

Demand for air travel may be levelling off after soaring to pre-pandemic levels over the summer, says FlightHub’s CEO. Christopher Cave said airline ticket sales dropped from September to October, when they typically rise ahead of the holiday season. However, Air Canada CEO Michael Rousseau said last month that demand remains “very stable,” with advance ticket sales in its third quarter up 55% year-over-year.

WINTER IS COMING: And Sunwing says it’s ready

Sunwing is reporting strong results early in its winter season (starting Nov. 1), in part reflecting key measures designed to “bolster operational readiness” for the peak season to come. The airline says it has already carried nearly 100,000 customers on 600 flights to destinations throughout the tropics – and all of them “successfully completed.”

BAG AND BAGGAGE: Handy hacks to beat overweight baggage fees

Overpacking can be bad for the back (hauling around heavy bags), but also worrisome for the wallet as extra fees are now standard fare – including some cruise lines, but especially low-cost airlines, which are notorious for stinging passengers who exceed the suitcase or hand luggage allowance with large fees.

A BUBBLY CHECK-IN

This is a ship that runs on Champagne. Just kidding. But the corks keep popping from the moment you step on board Explora Journeys’ new ship Explora 1. After a smooth check-in at the Port of Miami, where attendants took care of getting our bags on the ship, we’re greeted at the gangway by smiling staff offering trays covered with flutes of complimentary Moet & Chandon Champagne and mimosas.

TO INFINITY AND BEYOND: Plea for pets to travel to space too

Earlier this week, a message expressing pets’ space exploration dreams appeared on the large billboard in New York Times Square. The video was displayed on the 61-metre-long Times Square screen, showing scenes of SpaceX Starship launch along with the message: “Hi, Elon! Let’s send our beloved XOOX pets in the Starship to Mars to make history. Together, we can make this dream come true!”

LISTENING IN: The Beatles’ ‘grand finale’

Have you heard the “new” Beatles song yet? Sixty years after the onset of Beatlemania and with two of the quartet now dead, artificial intelligence has enabled the release of what is promised to be the last “new” Beatles song.

BACK IN BLACK: The latest Black Friday travel offers

Black Friday – the day after US Thanksgiving – has become arguably the biggest shopping day of the year (surpassing Boxing Day), and many travel suppliers are eager to hop on the bandwagon (or airplane, coach, or cruise ship) too with a host of great deals for consumers, some just for the day, others a little longer. (Some even open to agents early). Here’s a round-up of some of the offers we’ve found to make wading through the bargain bin next Friday (November 24) a little easier.

‘SHOCK DECISION’ SEES SCHIPHOL CUTS SHELVED

The Dutch government says it has abandoned, for now, plans to rein in flights at Amsterdam’s busy Schiphol Airport following protests from countries including the United States and warnings that the move could breach European law and aviation agreements.

WHERE TO PINCH PESOS AND SPLURGE IN MAZATLAN, PEARL OF THE PACIFIC

‘No jacket, no tie, no attitude,’ might well be the motto for unpretentious Mazatlan’s terrific beach, bar and culture scene. Sometimes, when planning your holidays, you have to make a decision: sun and sand or culture and history? Mazatlan has the distinction of offering the best of both worlds.

FINE-ALLY!: Passenger pays huge price for inflight tantrum

A Hawaiian woman has been ordered to pay nearly US$39,000 in restitution to American Airlines for interfering with a crew on a flight last year. The woman was also sentenced to more than three months of time served in connection with her actions plus three years of supervised probation.

MSC CONTINUES JOURNEY TO ENERGY EFFICIENCY

MSC Cruises has confirmed the order of two liquefied natural gas (LNG)-powered vessels with French ship builder Chantiers de l’Atlantique. The two new ordered vessels – currently referred to as World Class 3 and 4 – will be delivered in 2026 and 2027.

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